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THE PAGEANT OFMERIDEN 

EDUCATIONINTHENEWCOUNTRY- LIFE 

nU NEW-HAMPSHIRE L-U 

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BOOK OF WORDS 



THE PAGEANT OF MERIDEN 



EDUCATION IN THE NEW COUNTRY LIFE 



IN CELEBRATION OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
FOUNDING OF KIMBALL UNION ACADEMY 



WILLIAM CHAUNCY LANGDON 

MASTER OF THE PAGEANT 




ON A HILL ON THE 

FRANCIS C. HALL MEMORIAL FARM 

MERIDEN, NEW HAMPSHIRE 

JUNE 24th and 25th. 1913 






Copyright 1913 by 

William Chauncy Langdon 

all rights reserved 



CI.A3 5 8r)2 






THE PAGEANT OF MERIDEN 



COMMITTEES OF THE PAGEANT 



The Pageant Committee 

Charles Alden Tracy, Chairman 

William C. Brunei, Secretary 

Frank M. Howe, Treasurer 

J. Daniel Porter 

Herbert E. Wood 

John F. Cann 

Harold W. Chellis 

Chester H. Sears 

Miss Mary A. Freeman 

Miss Abbie S. Chellis 

Mrs. Harold W. Chellis 



Old Home Week Committee 

Harold iW. Chellis 
Mary A. Freeman 
Robert R. Penniman 



The Pageant of Meriden 



History Committee 
Mr. J. Daniel Porter 
Miss Mary L. Chellis 
Miss Mary A. Freeman 
Miss Mary D. Frost 
Mrs. Martha Holt 
Miss Alta Avery 



Cast Committee 
Mrs. Harold W. Chellis 
Miss Madge Daniels 
Miss Alta^M. Bailey 
Miss Bessie E. Westgate 
Mr. John F. Cann 
Mrs. John F. Cann 
Mr. William C. Brunei 
Mr. Harold W. Chellis 
Miss Chloe S. Miller 



Entertainment Committee 
Mr. William C. Brunei 
Mrs. Frank M. Howe 
Mr. Charles J. Rosenburg 
Mr. Alvah B. Chellis 



Decoration Committee 
Mr. John F. Cann 
Mr. George C. Barton 
Dr. Ernest L. Huse 
Mrs. Tames McCann 
Miss Mary L. Chellis 



Properties Committee 
Miss Mary A. Freeman 
Mrs. George S. Ruggles 
Mr. J. Daniel Porter 
Mr. Lewis C. Stickney 
Mrs. Elmer E. Wheeler 
Mr. Robert R. Penniman 



Transportation Committee 
Mr. Harold W. Chellis 
Mr. William B. True 
Mr. Herman Plummer 
Mr. Fred A. Rogers 
Mr. Daniel C. Westsrate 



Costumes Committee 
Miss Abbie S. Chellis 
Mrs. Nathan R. Andrews 
Miss Madge Daniels 
Mrs. John E. Wildey 
Mr. Maurice G. Penniman 



Music Committee 
Mr. Herbert E. Wood 
Mr. Edwin G. Kenyon 
Mrs. Charles A. Tracy 
Miss Mary Hoyt 
Miss Gladys L. Hill 



Publicity Committee 
Mr. Harry B. Preston 
Miss Lucy L. Eastman 
Mr. Curtis G. Doyle 
Mrs. Tamson L. Monroe 



Box Office Committee 
Mr. Chester H. Sears 
Mr. Nathan R. Andrews 
Mr. Frank D. Tanner 
Mr. Harold Searle 



Ti-iE Pageant of Meriden 



The Advisory Committee 
Percy MacKaye 
Maxfield Parrish 
Prof. Homer Eaton Keyes 
Mrs. George Rublee 
Pres. Ernest Fox Nichols 
Winston Churchill 
Robert Treat Faine 
Robert Barrett 
Herbert E. Adams 
Louis E. Shipman 
Pres. E. T. Fairchild 
Hon. Henry C. Morrison 
Prof. Herbert Darling Foster 
Prof. Walter Van Dyke Bingham 



THE PAGEANT DIRECTION 

William Chauncy Langdon 
Master of the Pageant 

Arthur Farwell 
Composer and Director of the Music 

Marion Langdon 
Director of the Costuming 

Madeline Randall 
Director of the Dancing 

H. K. Lloyd 
Designer of the Poster 



FOREWORD 

The Pageant of Meriden is the third of a series of Pageants of 
the New Country Life, the other two being Thetford, Vermont, 1911, 
and St. Johnsbury, Vermont, 1912, which dealt respectively, the one 
with farming, and the other with the responsibilities of a metropolis 
in the new country life. 

Meriden, New Hampshire, is the location of Kimball Union 
Academy, which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary. The 
Academy is working out the true function of education in the new 
country life of America. It is intent on the purpose that the educa- 
tion there offered to the young people of the surrounding agricul- 
tural region shall really prepare them for the life they are going to 
lead and train them to make of the life on the farm a high source of 
joy, culture, and inspiration for fine citizenship. 

The history of this town and its academy therefore form the 
subject-matter of the pageant-drama. The episodes follow their 
united fortunes down the hundred years through prosperity and 
vicissitude to the finale, which will be a dramatized idealization of the 
conception of their mission that the town and the Academy together 
hold nobly before them. 

All the people of the village and of the Academy will take part. 
It is a community aft'air. The Old Home Week Association of the 
town of Plainfield, in which the parish of Meriden is located, voted 
to join the village of Meriden and the Academy in their celebration, 
and to make the pageant their Old Home Week celebration for this 
year. 

The pageant-grounds are on the side of a hill, looking across 
the valley to the hill-top on which Meriden and the Academy stand, 
and to the lofty height of Ascutney rising beyond. The grounds are 
on the Francis C. Hall Memorial Farm, recently given to the Acad- 
emy for its agricultural laboratory. The music has been composed 
and the dances devised specially for this pageant. 

The Pageant of Meriden has been written and composed on the 
principle that both dramatically and musically the pageant is a distinct 
and individual art-form, and not merely a series of historic episodes 
interspersed with incidental music. The effort has been to work 
together all its parts, — dramatic episodes, orchestral numbers, 
choruses, and dramatic dances, — in accordance with the strictest laws 
of the art to present a vivid, beautiful, and impressive picture of the 
life of this New Hampshire town and its Academy and their ideal for 
their future service to America. 

The realistic episodes are historically either correct or typical. A 
certain freedom has been exercised, however, in presenting the mate- 
rial for the sake of dramatic effectiveness. In many instances the 
language of the dialogue is in the actual words of the person speak- 
ing. It has seemed, however, inadvisable to indicate these passages 
by quotation marks on account of the frequent necessity for making 
slight changes, omissions, or additions in the wording to suit the 
situation as represented. W. C. L. 



EPISODES OF THE PAGEANT 



I. Introduction : The Vision of Education 

1. The Settling of Meriden 1769 

2. The Starting of the Church 1780 

II. Interlude: The Classics 

3. The Founding of the Academy 1813 

4. The Coming of the Girls 1840 

5. Going to the Civil War 1861 

6. The Height of the Academy 1867 

III. Interlude: Clarence and Reuben 

7. The Ebb of the Tide 1889 

8. Back to the Soil 1899 

IV. Interlude: The Birds 

9. The New Academy 1913 

V. Finale: Education in the New Country Life 



THE MUSIC OF THE PAGEANT 



ARTHUR FARWELL— COMPOSER AND DIRECTOR 

The Pageant of Meriden, as a musical work, consists of the In- 
troduction, the three Interludes, and the Finale. These are dra- 
matic scenes accompanied by music composed for orchestra and 
chorus. 

In addition there is certain incidental music interspersed through 
the episodes for historical or dramatic appropriateness, as follows : 

Episode 2. 

Arne Orchestrated by Arthur Farwell 

Northfield, "The winter is over and gone" Old Hymn 

Hereford, "Sure there's a righteous God" Old Hymn 

Arne, "The Lord my pasture shall prepare" Dr. Arne 

Episode 5 
The Girl I Left Behind Me 
The Battle Hymn of the Republic 

Episode 6 

Class Ode (Words by E. E. Booth, K. U. A., 1870) 

Mary Hoyt, K. U. A. ipij 

Episode 8 
The Old Oaken Bucket 
Virginia Reel 

Episode 9 
Oxdans Swedish 

Tarentella Italian 

The Chorus has been trained by Herbert E. Wood, Instructor 
of Music, Kimball Union Academy. 

The Orchestra is the Nevers' Blaisdell's and Stewartson's Or- 
chestra of Concord, New Hampshire. 



S C H O O L 



Stanzas Selected from the Poem Written for the Commemora- 
tion OF Kimball Union Academy 

By Percy MacKaye 

They learn to live who learn to contemplate, 

For contemplation is the unconfined 

God who creates us. To the growing mind 

Freedom to think is fate, 
And all that age and after-knowledge augurate 
Lies in a little dream of youth enshrined : 
That dream to nourish with the skillful rule 

Of love — is school. 

Eben, in mystic tumult of his teens, 

Stood bursting — like a ripe seed — into soul. 

All his life long he had watched the great hills roll 

Their shadows, tints and sheens 
By sun- and moon-rise; yet the bane of hoeing beans 
And round of joyless chores, his father's toll, 
Blotted their beauty; nature was as not: 

He had never thought. 

B'ut now he climbed his boyhood's castle-tower 
And knocked: Ah, well then for his after- fate 
That one of nature's masters oped the gate. 

Where, like an April shower. 
Live influence quickened all his earth-blind seed to power: 
Strangely his sense of truth grew passionate, 
And like a young bull, led in yoke to drink. 

He bowed his head to think. 



INTRODUCTION: THE VISION OF EDUCATION 



The Orchestra sounds forth the motif of Education, the chief 
motif of the pageant, distinct and clear, a call announcing the begin- 
ning of the pageant. Then at once the music changes to the motif 
of the Nature Spirits. From out of the white pines at either side 
come the Nature Spirits, wild and unrestrained, in a whirling dance, 
back and forth, beautiful, but fierce and vindictive. They are in pine 
green draperies for the most part, with some deep blues and purples, 
and with a metallic gleam through the colors at times. Their maenad 
dance continues, frenzied and swift, for a time. Then from below 
there is seen a group of pioneers and settlers coming toiling up the 
hill with their families. In their Puritanical dress and grave indom- 
itable manners they are typical of the settlers of northern New Eng- 
land. As they come, is heard the motif of the Pioneers, based on 
an old Puritan hymn time. 

As soon as the Nature Spirits see the Pioneers, they fly down 
upon them, in fierce resentment, to drive them back, to rid the wil- 
derness of them. Persistently but almost in vain the Pioneers renew 
and press their efiforts to ascend the hill. The Nature Spirits drive 
them back down the hill. Twice, and the third time they repulse 
them. The Pioneers are driven back almost as far as they had come. 
The conflict is reflected in the music. As they come back the third 
time. Education comes with them, leading them upward and on. 
The motif of Education sounds again like a call in the orchestra. 
Education is a strong and virile young man. He comes striding with 
the zest of inspiration ahead of the Pioneers. The Nature Spirits 
give way before him, after a moment of indecision making no attempt 
to impede his progress, but still trying from each side to drive back 
the Pioneers. 

Education comes to the top of the hill. He turns and beckons 
to the Pioneers to follow him. With one final determined effort they 
advance. The Nature Spirits give way and circling around on either 
side sweep down to the bottom of the hill where they resume their 
wild dance in front of the green masses of the white pines. As the 
Pioneers get up near Education at the top of the hill, he points them 
out across the valley to the view of the Academy and the village of 
Meriden on its hill and the lofty mass of Ascutney in the distance. 
They turn, and lifting their arms in ecstacy burst forth into singing, 
the orchestra and full chorus joining with them in the music of Edu- 
cation : — 



12 The Pageant of Meriden 

THE SONG OF THE VISION 

Joy ! Joy revealed ! Behold the glory of far-off years ! 

Towering mountain, bear our wearied spirits to the skies ! 
See ! See the vision ! So at last in spite of fears 

God shall crown the harvest hill! Let songs of joy arise! 

Sing! Raise the hymn! Through joy and dauntless hope we know! 

Faith reveals far heights of life our eyes can never see! 
Sing! O'er the fields of labor spreads the heavenly glow! 

Vision born of hope and toil ! Light of the days to be ! 

Singing the last lines the Pioneers descend the hill with Education 
in their midst and go down into the valley. As they go down, the 
Nature Spirits part for them to pass down between them. As the 
Pioneers pass from sight, the Nature Spirits also disappear into the 
pine woods on either side. 



EPISODE 1: THE SETTLING OF MERIDEN 

1769 
From out of the woods to the west comes Daniel Kimball, a boy of 
fifteen years, parting the branches before him as he makes his way out 
into the open. He is dressed in home-spun shirt and leather breeches ; 
over his shoulder is slung powder-horn, shot pouch and flint bag. 
In his hand he carries a flint-lock somewhat too long for him. He 
come out into the clear space and looks around a moment. 

Daniel: Here is a bit clear space. Mother. (He plunges into the 
pine woods again whence he came, and then is heard returning.) Right 
in here. Here it is. 

Daniel emerges again. He carries on his back a camping outfit 
slung on an axe. He puts this down and holds the branches back 
for his mother to come through. Mrs. Kimball is a strong, rugged 
woman of about thirty-five, dressed in plain home-spun appropriate 
for a pioneer woman. She carries a small copper kettle packed with 
food, a knife and a few spoons. There is also in the kettle a plant 
of moss-pinks in a little pot fashioned of leather. 

Mrs. Kimball: This is a good place. It is clear to the top of 
the hill. We can eat here. 

Daniel: Yes. Father'll see the smoke. 

Mrs. Kimball: A good place to build the house, too. 

Daniel: Is daddy going to buy land here back from the river, 
mother ? 

Mrs. Kimball: He has made up his mind on it long since, 
Daniel ; but he would not admit it to anyone until he has paid the 
money down. So keep your mouth closed on that question. 

Daniel : Alright. 

]\Irs. Kimball: The place to build the house is the only ques- 
tion, really. — (Daniel nods). Well, cut me some stakes. 

Daniel goes into the woods with his axe. The sound of cutting 
is heard and he soon comes back with two fine prong-stakes and a 
cross-piece of hard wood, which he puts up for a fire. Mrs. Kimball 
gathers wood and builds a small fire, Daniel striking the fire for her 
with flints from his hunting bag. 

Mrs. Kimball: Now see if you can find some water. There 
must be plenty of springs up here on this hill. 



14 The Pageant of Meriden 

Daniel: Aye, but first I'll take a look around here to see there's 
no sleeping bear near, so you'll be safe if I have to go far. 

Mrs. Kimball: Well, mind where you shoot him if you find 
one, — the right place. 

Daniel: I know. Between the eyes. I can do it. 

Mrs. Kimball: I'll get some dry leaves, so your father will 
know where to find us. 

Mrs. Kimball gathers some dry leaves and puts them on the fire, 
making a smoke that rises into the air. Daniel picks up the kettle 
and gun in hand goes ofif into the forest to the south. In a few 
minutes a shot is heard in the direction he has gone. Mrs. Kimball 
looks up, but goes on with her work. A little later, Daniel comes 
back from another direction carrying a rabbit and the kettle full of 
water. 

Mrs. Kimball: What was it? 

Daniel: I run across a rabbit. He'll be good to eat with the 
nokick. 

Mrs. Kimball: And the water, is that near? 

Daniel: Just below here. It's a good spring; but not as large 
or as cold as on the other hill over there where we slept last night. 

Mrs. Kimball: That was a special fine spring. You will not 
find a spring like that two days running (She tastes the water). 
This is good water. 

Daniel sits down on the ground with his knife to skin the rabbit. 
Mrs. Kimball takes from a leathern bag some parched Indian corn 
ground to a powder, and proceeds to cook it. Daniel cuts up the 
rabbit meat into pieces and cuts sticks to roast the meat in the fire. 
There is a noise of trampling through the woods, and Benjamin 
Kimball and Edward Stafford, agent for the Proprietors of the Town 
of Plainfield, come through the trees from the north. Benjamin Kim- 
ball is a man of forty-seven years, of "stalwart form and broad, 
frank, manly" countenance. He is Scotch. Edward Stafford is a 
younger man, a bit important in manner, and English. Both men 
carry flint-locks and wear a knife or hatchet in the belt. 

Benjamin Kimball: Here ye be, lassie ! And a bite to eat near 
ready ! 

Mrs. Kimball: Nearly ready, Benjamin. Good-day to you, Mr. 
Stafford. You will not refuse to eat, I think. 

Edward Stafford: A good day to you, Mrs. Kimball. I have 
some corn with me. I'll just eat that. That will do me. 

Mrs. Kimball: Put it right into the kettle, Mr. Stafford, and 
share with us. And have a taste of the rabbit, too. 



The Pageant of Meriden 15 

Benjamin Kimball: Is that a' your shot was, Daniel? 

Daniel: Aye, father. 

Benjamin Kimball: A charge of powder for a rabbit, — yon 
is na eneuch return, Daniel. You mecht hae snared it. Look gin ye 
can find the bullet in him. Sae, ye'll get the lead back. 

Mrs. Kimball: And the boy should have called to the rabbit to 
come back, I suppose, Benjamin. Will you renounce all part in his 
extravagance by refusing to eat a portion of it? 

Benjamin Kimball: I winna, I winna surely, Hannah. But 
the lad will ne'er dae weel in this country gin he's aye gieing mair than 
he's getting. In Connecticut he mecht, but na here, — eh, Stafford? 

Edward Stafford: That's partly true, Mr. Kimball; there's 
truth in that. 

Benjamin Kimball: Let me see; wha did ye hit him? (Picks 
up the rabbit.) In the head. And he was renning straight frae you. 
How far was he when ye fired? 

Daniel: About six rods, I guess. 

Benjamin Kimball: A guid shot! I'm weel proud o' your 
shooting, Daniel, e'en though you mecht hae got mair by it. Aye 
squint a business eye on wha' you're shooting. 

Mrs. Kimball: Come, eat. Here are the spoons. 

Benjamin Kimball lifts the kettle off the fire and they all gather 
around it. 

Benjamin Kimball: We'll say grace. A'mighty Father, gie us 
our food the day, and teach us aye to remember ye and be grateful 
to ye. Amen. 

They eat the corn porridge Mrs. Kimball has prepared for them. 
So, too, they roast and eat the rabbit meat, holding it to the fire on 
green sticks and eating it with their fingers. 

Edward Stafford : Now you've looked the land over back here, 
Mr. Kimball, where will you buy, here or down by the river? 

Benjamin Kimball: Weel, a dinna ken a'd better buy at all. 
Hae mair parritch, Mr. Stafford. 

Edward Stafford: I thank you. I tell you, Mr. Kimball, the 
land down there by the river is what would just suit you. Right in 
communication with the settlements down the river winter and sum- 
mer, — Number 4, and Connecticut even if you like. You're a busi- 
ness man, and the trading on the river will grow. 

Benjamin Kimball: Ilka man hae tae trade, and drive his bar- 
gain if he can. 

Edward Stafford : And it's safer, with so many neighbors, 
William Smith and his two brothers, the Coles, the Russels, the Gal- 
lops, all of them, and us Staffords. 

Benjamin Kimball: Aye, but the Indians mecht be coming tae 
and frae doon the river. They keep tae the water, dinna come inland. 



16 The Pageant of Meriden 

Edward Staffford: You'll not be afraid of the Indians with 
so many other settlers near you ! Daniel would not be afraid of the 
Indians, would you, Daniel ? 

Daniel: No, I'm not afraid of the Indians. I'd — 

Mrs. Kimball: Hist! — 

Benjamin Kimball: It's weel tae be afcard o' them when ye're 
alane and safe; and ye'll nae need tae be afeard o' them in their 
presence. — Ye'll hardly get me to peerchase doon be the plain, Staf- 
ford. 

Edward Stafford: Are you settled on that? 

Benjamin Kimball: Weel a'm in grave doot o't. 

Edward Stafford: Well, then, Mr. Kimball, I'll sell you land 
here. This is fine land in here. 

Benjamin Kimball: It's resking a great deal to settle back 
here. 

Edward Stafford : It's fine land ! There's hard wood here in 
abundance. 

Benjamin Kimball: I see it. But na sae muckle o' the pine. 
And the King himself, Stafford, shows a preference for the tall pine. 

Edward Stafford: The land is fertile. Wood is plentiful. 
Game is abundant. The water is of the best. You could not make a 
better bargain — 

Benjamin Kimball: Eh — man, Stafford; the price is tae hie. 
A man's hard savings — 

There is a noise in the brush to the south, and Stephen Nash, a 
ranger comes out into the clearing. He is dressed in typical hunter's 
or ranger's dress, deerskin hunting shirt, fringed leggings, coon-skin 
cap. He carries his flint-lock, and over his shoulder a large bundle of 
furs. The men exchange greetings with the hand. Nash puts down his 
bundle on the ground and nods his head respectfully to Mrs. Kimball. 
Daniel immediately shows decided interest in him and in his bundle of 
furs. The men look at each other a moment before they speak. 

Benjamin Kimball: It's a guid bit of furs ye've been gettin', 
Stephen. 

Stephen Nash : And fine furs, Mr. Kimball ! 

Benjamin Kimball: Stop a wee and hae a sup wi' us. 

Stephen Nash : I'd like to, but I have twelve miles to go and 
back. 

Edward Stafford : Is it good hunting back on the mountain, 
Mr. Nash? 

Stephen Nash : The game is plenty and of the best. 

Edward Stafford: You see, Mr. Kimball? I told you the game 
was plentiful. Now, if you settle here, you can buy the furs from 
Nash and trade them on the river. 

Stephen Nash: Are you going to settle here, Mr. Kimball? 



The Pageant of Meriden 17 

Edward Stafford : That's what we are here for, discussing it. 

Benjamin Kimball: Na, na, I tell ye it's vera dootfti'. 

Stephen Nash : You better do it, Mr. Kimball ; we'd both do 
well. I would keep you supplied with pelts, and you could do the 
trading. It would save me the 24 miles and dickering time, to put 
onto the mountain. 

Benjamin Kimball: The game wad soon be a' killed aff. 

Stephen Nash : There'll be game on that moimtain for — two 
hundred years yet, mark my words, Mr. Kimball. 

Benjamin Kimball: But I'll nae be here to buy the pelts, 
Stephen. 

Stephen Nash : I'll sell these to you now. 

Benjamin Kimball: What wad I do wi' them? (He looks the 
pelts over critically and with concealed but more and more delighted 
approval.) 

Mrs. Kimball: (Privately, as Nash and Stafford talk together.) 
Buy them, Benjamin; they are fine furs-, and we will need them for 
our covering. 

Benjamin Kimball: Sae they be, lassie, sae they be. They are 
bonnie pelts. But gin I peerchased 'em, Stafford here wad think I had 
a mind to buy the land, and that wad ne'er do. (To the others) Na, na. 

Stephen Nash: Will you buy them, Mr. Kimball? 

Benjamin Kimball: What wad I do wi' 'em, mon? Carry 
'em tae the river, like yoursel'? 

Stephen Nash : Well, then, I must get on. 

Nash takes his load upon his back and goes off toward the river. 
Benjamin Kimball gives his wife a secret look that shows the anguish 
in his heart at letting so good a bargain pass. Stafford looks abjectly 
dismayed. He is hopeless of making the sale. Kimball's sacrifice has 
had its desired effect. 

Edward Stafford: You have lost a fine bargain in my opinion, 
Mr. Kimball. 

Benjamin Kimball: If I were going to settle here, Mr. Staf- 
ford, I'll na deny but I might ha tried him on the price. 

Edward Stafford: You'll buy here, Mr. Kimball. 

Benjamin Kimball: A'm weel sorra tae hear that ye think it. 
Ten shillings the acre! Mon, we'd be economizing time by juist fol- 
lowing Stephen Nash the way he has gaen doon tae the river. Come, 
Hannah. Pick up the things, Daniel. We maun be gaeing. 

Edward Stafford: What will you give, Mr. Kimball? 

Benjamin Kimball: Weel, I could na think of a penny mair 
than five shillings the acre. 

Edward Stafford: I'll sell to you for five shillings the acre. 

Benjamin Kimball: Five shillings the acre! 

Edward Stafford : Aye, I'll sell to you for five shillings the acre, 



The Pageant of Meriden 



Benjamin Kimball: I'll juist tak ye. (Stafiford looks highly 
gratified, convinced that he has landed his man. Kimball turns with 
a twinkle in his eye and a smile to his wife.) Ye're a generous man, 
Edward Stafford! (Stafford looks pleased, then a bit doubtful; he 
remains in doubt.) 

Edward Stafford: And how much will you take, Air. Kim- 
ball? The whole piece? 

Benjamin Kimball: Aye the whole piece, the 750 acres. 

Edward Stafford: It is done. I'll make out the paper. 

Benjamin Kimball: Daniel, run see if you can catch up with 
Stephen Nash. Bring him back. Tell him I might like to speir the 
price wi' him o' the pelts. Watch sharp ye do na miss his trail. 
Quick wi' ye, run ! 

Edward Stafford: I have heard it said, Mr. Kimball, that your 
rightful name in Scotland was Campbell. How shall I make out the 
papers? Kimball or Campbell? 

Benjamin Kimball: Kimball — Campbell, Campbell — Kimball, 
it's a' one. I call mysel' Kimball in this country. Make it Kimball. 
Benjamin Kimball. 

Down over the hill from the north comes a settler with a large 
bag of corn over his shoulder. He is surprised to see anyone, as 
they are to see him. 

Benjamin Kimball: The day to you! Where wad ye be gae- 
ing through these pairts ? 

Settler: I thought I'd try to find a shorter way to Jona- 
than Chase's grist-mill down on Bryant's Brook in Cornish. Do you 
know of any shorter way? 

Benjamin Kimball: (Looking at the corn critically) Doon that 
way ye'll strike Chase's. Rest a bit, mon. It's rough countra ye hae 
ahead tae gae through. 

Settler: I'll do that. It's a long way around by the river. I 
thought maybe I could save time coming this way. 

Benjamin Kimball: Sae maybe ye can; sae maybe ye can. 
(Looking at the bag of grain.) Mr. Stafford, is there na some special 
grant to any man wha builds a grist-mill ? 

Edward Stafford: There is. One hundred acres to him who 
builds a grist-mill. 

Benjamin Kimball: Ye may as weel put doon the hundred 
acres for me then, Mr. Stafford. There's good water-power in the 
brook below yonder, and I'll build a dam there if I die in it. I did 
na like to see the man gae by wi' his corn. 

Edward Stafford: 'Tis done, Mr. Kimball. I am going down 
to the river, and I will go along with you. 

Settler: Come on, then; glad to have you. (The Settler takes 
up his bag of grain and goes down to the edge of the woods.) 



The Pageant of Meriden 19 

Edward Stafford: Now-a — Will you make a payment now on 
the land, Mr. Kimball, to make it legal? 

Benjamin Kimball: Aye, that will I. I'll gie ye feefty pmid 
noo, and the rest when ye bring me the papers. Hannah, gie me ma 
pouk. (Taking wallet from Hannah and counting out gold coins to 
Stafford.) There ye be, in yellow Geordies. 

Edward Stafford: Alright, Mr. Kimball. 

Settler: You're ready? I'm ready. 

Edward Stafford: Good day to you, Mrs. Kimball, and you, 
Mr. Kimball. 

Both : Good day ! 

Edward Stafford and the Settler go off into the woods. 

Benjamin Kimball: For five shillings, Hannah! Now, if 
Daniel catches up with Stephen, I winna say but it was a great day 
for us ! Those are bonnie pelts he has wi' him. Where will ye mak' 
the home, Hannah? Here or over there? 

Mrs. Kimball: This is a good place, Benjamin. But over on 
that hill is a better. 

Benjamin Kimball: Over there be it. 

Mrs. Kimball: At last I can plant my moss pinks. 

Daniel comes back with Stephen Nash following him. 

Daniel : I tracked him ! And he did not hear me until I was 
almost up with him ! 

Stephen Nash: (Laughing) He did so. A sharp eye and a 
quiet foot the boy has ! There is many who would not have heard 
him at all. 

Benjamin Kimball: Guid lad! Guid lad! Sae, ye maun e'en 
ha' saved your powder on the rabbit. Stephen, I ha' changed my 
mind ; aiblins, I might settle hereabouts. B'ring the pelts over the 
hill yonder where we will build a cabin. I mecht tak them, if ye dae 
na speir tae muckle a price. 

They put out the fire, gather up the things and all go off together, 
by the side vista in the direction of Meriden Hill, Mrs. Kimball 
carrying the fragrant little plant of moss-pinks in her hand. 



EPISODE 2. THE STARTING OF THE CHURCH 

(MAY 2, 1780) 

As Benjamin Kimball and his family gather their things together 
and take their departure, the orchestra plays softly the old hymn 
"Arne". As it closes, from the Meriden vista come two men trudging 
along, the one carrying hugged to him a precious book of hymns, the 
other a flute. They are Israel Ballard and Samuel Bloss. 

Samuel Bloss: Israel, the spirit is strong in me to sing. Hold 
now until the others may come up with us. Take the flute and let us 
sing a sacred song, such as is meet for the Sabbath. 

Israel Ballard: Well, what sacred song shall it be? 

Samuel Bloss: "The winter is over and gone. The thrush whis- 
tles sweet on the spray," to the tune of Northfield. You can play 
Northfield ? 

Israel Ballard: I can, the whole of it. Wait, let me fix my 
lips. Now ! 

Samuel holds the hymn book open so that Israel can see the 
music and to the single accompaniment of the flute lustily sings the 
first stanza of the hymn. 

The winter is over and gone, 

The thrush whistles sweet on the spray. 

The turtle breathes forth her soft moan, 
The lark mounts and warbles away. 

Samuel Bloss: Does not that satisfy the soul? The thrush — 
you can hear it in the tune! And the lark — 

Israel Ballard: It is noble music. You can think of the lark 
coming down from the sky as the notes descend. (He plays that line 
on the flute again.) 

Samuel Bloss: Now, the third verse: "Awake, then, my 
harp — 

Awake, then, my harp, and my lute, 

Sweet organs, your notes softly swell ! 

No longer my lips shall be mute, 

The Savior's high praises to tell. 

Samuel Bloss: No, that shall they not! Let us sing the fourth 
verse, which truly says 'tis "my joy as my duty to sing." 

Israel Ballard: Not so; here come the others. We will go 
along with them. 



The Pageant of Meriden 21 

From the same direction, up the Meriden vista, come Micaiah 
Adams and Mrs. Adams ; and Mrs. Ballard and Mrs. Bloss with them. 
Following them come several children. They all gravely but pleas- 
antly salute each other. Israel puts his flute under his arm and joins 
his wife. Samuel walks along with Micaiah Adams. 

Micaiah Adams: It is a great day with the blessing of the 
Lord, Samuel Bloss. Today shall we people in this part of the town 
set ourselves apart as a separate parish, and have a church of our 
own. Is it not so, Samuel? 

Samuel Bloss : Truly is it so, Mr. Adams. And what, think 
you, will the Plainfield town meeting do tomorrow ? 

Micaiah Adams : My voice shall be that the Town declare itself 
independent of New Hampshire. 

Samuel Bloss : That is boldly said ! 

Micaiah Adams: Why should we people west of Mason's line 
be under the people by the sea-coast and not with our kin across the 
river in Vermont? There is no reason in it. The allegiance to the 
Crown of Great Britain that gave us to New Hampshire is dissolved. 
We are free to choose for ourselves. 

Samuel Bloss: That is powerful reasoning, Mr. Adams! 

Micaiah Adams : Choose for Vermont, for our brothers, say I ! 

From his house to the right among the trees comes Benjamin 
Kimball, now a man of 58 years, and his daughter-in-law, Hannah, 
the young wife of Daniel Kimball, aged 22. Mr. Kimball welcomes 
them all and Mrs. Kimball cordially greets the women and children. 

Micaiah Adams : Has the minister come yet, Mr. Kimball ? 

Benjamin Kimball: He has na, but it is a puir trail ouer the 
hill frae Leebanon, Micaiah. There maun be a guid road ouer there 
some day. We'll need it, mon. 

Mrs. Adams : Have you heard word from your husband, Han- 
nah? 

Mrs. Daniel Kimball: No, not since a month nearly now. 

Mrs. Adams: Where is he now? 

Mrs. Daniel Kimball: At West Point with General Washing- 
ton, I think. He's adjutant there. 

Mrs. Adams : We heard something about a call for more men 
from New Hampshire. 

Mrs. Daniel Kimball: Yes, we heard of that. I hoped that 
might bring Daniel home for a day. 

Other people are coming from various directions, until there are 
gathered together all the fourteen who joined in starting the church 
with their families. Mr. Kimball greets them all, and they all ex- 
change mutual greetings. A few have hymn books; one man has a 



22 The Pageant of Meriden 

clarinet and another plods along with a bass viol, on his back. Those 
assembled are: Benjamin Kimball, Mrs. Daniel Kimball, Abraham 
Roberts, Airs. Mary Roberts, Samuel Bloss, Mrs. Samuel Bloss, 
Micaiah Adams, Airs. Elizabeth Adams, Israel Ballard, Mrs. Israel 
Ballard, Josiah Colton, Mrs. Josiah Colton, Ruth Pool, and Keziah 
Short. 

Micaiah Adams : I wish it were Air. Wood that were to be our 
minister today, Benjamin. 

Benjamin Kimball: Aye, Air. Wood is a true servant o' the 
Laird, o' sound lairning and fu' o' the Holy Ghaist, the blessing o' 
God on him, but the meenister frae Leebanon is a line man, and a 
sancted sperit, Alicaiah. The Laird is wi' him. 

From the direction of Lebanon comes the Rev. Isaiah Potter, 
riding on a horse. He is a man of calm, strong, benign face and man- 
ner. All draw back to make way for him. Benjamin Kimball goes 
forward to meet him followed by Alicaiah Adams. All bow with 
great respect, the men and boys removing their hats and the women 
and the girls making low courtesies. He returns the greeting with a 
low bow. Air. Kimball holds the minister's horse while he dismounts. 

Benjamin Kimball: We a' gie ye a reeverent weelcome, Air. 
Potter. Samuel, mon, take the meenister's horse, wi' ye? 

Samuel takes the horse and leads him out, soon returning. Air. 
Potter comes forward into a place in the center of the people. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter : Have you all, good people, determined to 
separate yourselves from the rest of the town of Plainfield to be a 
church apart from them ? 

AIicAiAH Adams: We have. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter: Have you considered this step witli prayer 
to God for guidance? 

Several : We have. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter: Should you not at least seek the consent 
of the other people of the town in establishing a church ? 

Benjamin Adams: Na, na ! 

AIicaiah Adams: Last September we put an article into the 
Town meeting, "to see if the Town Will Come into measures to Be 
Divided for the Purpose of Accommodating a Parish in the East 
Part of Plainfield and New Grantham" but the majority would not 
consider it. This part of the town is left without social worship. 

Benjamin Kimball: Aye, we ha' gien the matter due con- 
sideration. Naebody can say we ha' been tae swift. 'Twas in Oc- 
tober we met in ma ain hoose and made a covenant ane wi' anither 
that we wad do what we might think wcel to procure and support the 



The Pageant of MerideN 23 

Gospel amang us, and that when we thought we were able we wad 
build a hoose of publick worship, a kirk, to be built as nigh to my 
barn as the conveniancy of the land wad permit of. There is naebody 
will be sae rash as to say that it was tae hasty. Is na that the truth, 
neeburs ? 

A Number of the People : Aye, aye ! 

Benjamin Kimball: There wa' forty-one persons wha said 
Amen tae that covenant by the subscribing their names tae the paper. 

A Number of People : And we say it again, — Amen ! 

MiCAiAH Adams: It is fearful to think that people should vote 
to deprive others of the privileges and the grace of the Gospel. 

A Number of People: Aye, aye, so it is. 

One Man : They voted us down with malice aforethought. And 
elected all the officers from their part of the town. 

A Number of the People: They did, so they did. 

Benjamin Kimball: I wad hardly say that. A' is a sweeping 
expression. But surely we dinna get them a' oursel'. 

People : Indeed we did not. 

Benjamin Kimball: The eend o't iss — Today we mean to 
gather together into a kirk for oursel' in your presence, Mr. Potter. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter : Let us then sing a hymn or a psalm and 
proceed to elect a Moderator. Let us sing — • 

Benjamin Kimball: Hereford is a guid tune, — "Sure there's 
a righteous God." 

MiCAiAii Adams : It is appropriate. 

They all join in singing Hereford with the accompaniment of 
the flute, the clarinet, and the bass viol. 

HEREFORD 
Sure there's a righteous God, 

Nor is religion vain ; 
Tho' men of vice may boast aloud. 
And men of grace complain. 
Hallelujah! 

I saw the wicked rise. 

And felt my heart repine. 
While haughty fools, with scornful eyes, 

In robes of honor shine. 
Hallelujah! 

Rev. Isaiah Potter: I fear, good people, that your hearts are 
not altogether filled with love and charity to your neighbors. This 
is a hymn to comfort those who are oppressed. You are not op- 
pressed, but prosperous and increasing in numbers. ,With the bless- 
ing of God you are about to make of yourselves a Church of Christ 
to lead and teach his children in this part of the town. How can you 



24 The Pageant of Meriden 

teach if you are not charitable and yourselves teachable? What 
fruit could you have for your labor and your teaching. 

There is a solemn pause. 

MiCAiAH Adams: Reverend sir, you have righteously rebuked 
our pride and self-sufficiency. We cannot teach the ways of the 
Lord unless we have His Spirit in our hearts. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter: I exhort you all to repent. 

All: We do repent. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter : With that spirit you can come together 
before the Lord and bring your young people to him. 

A Woman : And here this day is a young girl who wishes to be 
baptized into the Church of Christ. 

Ruth Pool stands a little forward. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter: Do you desire to join the Church of 
Christ? 

Ruth Pool: I do. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter: What is your name? 
Ruth Pool: Ruth Pool. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter: How came you to feel this desire? 
Ruth Pool : I heard the Rev. Samuel Wood preach last winter ; 
I felt my sinfulness, and desired to live the better life and to help my 
neighbors to live the better life, and so to gain to Heaven. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter: Have you been taught in the Christian 
truths ? 

Ruth Pool: I have. 
Others (At the same time) : She has. 
Rev. Isaiah Potter: By whom? 
Ruth Pool: By the neighbors. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter (To the others) : So may your good teach- 
ing of this lamb of the Good Shepherd stand out in his eyes before 
your pride of heart. 
All: Amen. 

Rev. Lsaiah Potter: And let us now sing "The Lord my pas- 
ture shall prepare" to the good old tune of Arne. (They all sing as 
before.) 

ARNE 
The Lord my pasture shall prepare, 

And feed me with a shepherd's care; 
His presence shall my wants supply. 

And guard me with a watchful eye: 
My noonday walks he shall attend, 

And all my midnight hours defend. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter: Have you decided whom you will elect 
Moderator and Clerk? 



The Pageant of Meriden 25 

Benjamin Kimball: Let Micaiah Adams be the Moderator 
and the Clerk baith. 

All : Aye, aye ! We will elect Micaiah Adams Moderator and 
Clerk. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter: And where will meet? here — or — 

Benjamin Kimball: We can a' come ben in ma ain hoose, 
richt handy here, as the Lord himsel' and his disciples came together 
in an upper room. And there the lassie can be taen into the flock o' 
the Good Shepherd. 

Rev. Isaiah Potter: Then lead on, Mr. Kimball, and Mr. 
Adams — 

Benjamin Kimball: And you, Ruth, lassie, walk wi' the meen- 
ister. You're a bonnie bairn, and you wi' noo be christened. Come, 
friends, and neebors ! — 

Micaiah Adams: Come, and "the Church of Christ in the East- 
ern part of Plainfield shall be gathered in the presence of the Rev. 
Isaiah Potter of Lebanon. And Ruth Pool shall be baptized when the 
church is gathered." 

They all go out in procession toward Benjamin Kimball's house, 
Benjamin Kimball and Micaiah Adams leading, then Rev. Isaiah 
Potter and Ruth Pool, and then the others. 



INTERLUDE I: THE CLASSICS 

From various directions come groups of farming and forest peo- 
ple of the early part of the 19th century. Some of the men carry 
scythes or flails ; some carry axes. Some come with an ox-team haul- 
ing a log out of the woods; some with a horse hitched to a plow. 
There is a farmer and a blacksmith. Some of the women have spin- 
ning wheels ; some of the young girls carry milk-pails and stools. 
The music reflects the busy activity of their rustic life, and the health- 
ful vigor of it. At first, they are all bustling around on their way to 
other work or returning home, some even in greeting each other, like 
the women, snatching a spare moment for a bit of extra work. This, 
however, gradually slackens and quiets down. The people put down 
their tools and sit or recline on the grass. 

From the woods at one side comes Idleness, a taking young per- 
son, pleasing in her youth and in her manner, but indolently restless 
and incapable of sustained attention. She is dressed in soft and lus- 
cious tints, pale pink and cream color. In a rather langourous man- 
ner she comes out before the people, and with languid poses invites 
their applause. The people are pleased. They turn to her and give 
her their attention. She dances for them. As she finishes her dance, 
a few start to resume their work, but only for a moment; they give 
it up and just watch her. One man starts to drive on the log-team, 
but stops, yawns, and stands leaning back on the oxen as he watches. 

Idleness beckons to several of the young people to come out and 
dance with her. They feel bashful, however, and shrink back. Finally 
she gets hold of one young girl, entices her onto the greensward, and 
then a young man. She dances around them, and at last gets them 
to dance, too. Others join in. The dance becomes quite hilarious in 
rollicking country fashion. Two young men get into something of a 
quarrel over a young girl, who enjoys having her favor the subject 
of a quarrel, though preferring neither one. Idleness takes a listless, 
mocking sort of pleasure in the disturbance, and tries to start other 
similar quarrels. 

Upon this scene comes the Minister in his own severe garb and 
carrying two large folio volumes under his arm. In the music his ap- 
proach is accompanied by the hymn motif of the Introduction. He 
clearly shows his disapproval of such proceedings and raises his hand 
in prohibition. The dance stops short at his command. He expos- 



The Pageant of Meriden 27 

tiilates with his people. Idleness, unabashed, impudently comes to- 
ward him, inviting him to join them in their careless pleasures. He 
interrupts her and bids her begone from him and his people. Reced- 
ing, she still attempts to win his lenience with her graces. He bids 
her hence. She slowly withdraws down into the woods near the bot- 
tom of the hill, where, however, she still lingers for some time. 

A number of the people rally around their minister at once. 
Others regret the departure of Idleness, and gaze after her. The 
Minister gathers them all around him and exhorts them earnestly to 
pursue steadfastly the virtue of industry. He shows them his books, 
and opening one of them, he reads to them out of it. The name of 
the book is "The Book of the Romans". The people listen with ab- 
sorbed interest. The Minister closes the book and points his people 
down the vista of the woodland road. There they see approaching a 
group of three Romans talking together as they walk. They are 
easily recognizable as Julius Caesar, Virgil, and Cicero. The people 
gaze at them in wonder. The Minister tells his people who they are, 
each one. The three Romans go across and stand together, still ab- 
sorbed in their discussion, in the edge of the pines on the other side 
of the grounds. 

The ]\Iinister then opens the other book and calls the attention of 
his people to it. The name of the book is "The Book of the Hebrews". 
He reads to them out of it. The people listen, lost in wonder at the 
sonorous words they hear. The ^Minister closes the book and again 
points his people down the vista of the woodland road, where they 
see approaching three of the Hebrew prophets, Moses with the tables 
of the Law, David with the crown and the harp, and Isaiah. The 
music is a wonderful Jewish hymn. As the prophets come near, the 
Minister raises his hands as in prayer, and all the people sink on their 
knees, yet still gazing at them in awe as they pass. The three He- 
brews continue on their way across the grounds, a little higher up 
than the Romans went, and go right on and out at the top of the hill. 
The Romans, too, now go on and depart at the top of the hill, but at 
the other side from the Hebrews. The Minister rises, and all the peo- 
ple with him. He holds high the two books before his people, who 
bow before him as he starts to lead them off down the woodland road 
whence the Romans and the Hebrews came. He goes before, still 
bearing the two books before him. The people follow him. The man 
with the ox-team drives his team out down the lower road into the 
valley. 



EPISODE 3: THE FOUNDING OF THE ACADEMY 

1813* 

Dr. Frost comes up from the road with saddle, saddle bags and 
other equipment of a country doctor. These he drops on the ground 
and starts to go on up to the pasture with a bridle in his hand. 
Daniel Kimball comes out of his house. He is also dressed for trav- 
elling. 

Daniel Kimball: Have you far to go today, Doctor? 

Elias Frost: I am going over into Croyden about 10 miles to 
see Alexis Cutting. 

Daniel Kimball: He is a poor man. Will he pay you? He 
is not worth $200. 

Elias Frost : He is a poor man and has a widowed mother to 
support. He will pay me sometime if he lives I think. Then after 
that I have to go down to the plain to see a woman there. 

Daniel Kimball: And tomorrow? 

Elias Frost : Tomorrow I must go over into Vermont, to Thet- 
ford, for a consultation, if my patients hereabouts are doing well. 

Daniel Kimball: You have a good practice for so young a 
man. Think you will always keep it? 

Elias Frost: I know what my practice is now, but I do not 
know what it will be. You are going off, I see. 

Daniel Kimball: To Windsor, to the Council. Prof. Adams 
of Dartmouth, Ebenezer Adams, is coming by for me. 

Elias Frost : Talking of having a theological seminary in these 
parts for poor young men preparing for the ministry, I hear. 

Daniel Kimball: Yes, doctor, we are, we are. 

Elias Frost: Well, I suspect, Mr. Kimball, you are trying to 
have it come to Meriden. 

Daniel Kimball: I had it under consideration. 

Elias Frost: You plan great things for Meriden. 

Daniel Kimball: I do. 

Elias Frost: You have higher objects in view than some who 
have money, and leave it — 

Daniel Kimball: It is not likely that any relation will get my 
money. 

Elias Frost: Shall I get your horse for you, Mr. Kimball. I 
am going up to get mine. 

Daniel Kimball: Yes, — I should like it, doctor. 

Elias Frost : Which do you want ? the grey one ? 

Daniel Kimball: Yes, the grey one. 

*The charter of Kimball Union Academy was granted in 1813. The day of 
the Council at Windsor was October 20, 1812. 



The Pageant of Meriden 29 

Dr. Frost goes up to the pasture with a bridle in his hand. Mrs. 
Kimball comes out of the house to join her husband. She is knitting. 

Daniel Kimball: Elias Frost is a good doctor. He suits my 
plans for Meriden. He makes the place noted and respected. 

Hannah Kimball: Yes, he is a fine young man, trustworthy. 
I do not need to take anyone to board. Everyone knows you have 
money, though you are saving, as you should be — 

Daniel Kimball: I was brought up by my father to be saving, 
not to waste anything. But when it comes to being careful about 
saving, Hannah, you go ahead of me. It's to your credit. Wheie 
would I be if you had not been saving! But sometimes when you 
pluck a goose, I should think the poor creature would be ashamed. 

Hannah Kimball: Well, never mind that. I was saying that 
I never done so much for anyone as I have for Dr. Frost. Fm glad 
he came to us to board and I hope he always will. Near five years 
he's been with us now. 

Daniel Kimball: There's only one thing makes me doubt 
that young man. He never says anything about politics. I fear in 
his heart he's a Democrat. 

Hannah Kimball: No, he never talks politics, not when you 
or me are around. 

Daniel Kimball: He has not voted since he came here in June, 
1808. 

Hannah Kimball: Well, if he is not a Federalist, what great 
difference would it make? We're all sinful. 

Daniel Kimball : What difference would it make ! Hannah ! 
It would make all the difference in the world. If he ever votes the 
Democratic ticket, he shall not eat in my house. He shall never again 
prescribe physic for me or any of my name, or connection. I would 
never forgive him. 

Hannah Kimball: Well, of course, you would not want to be 
cured by a Democrat if you was sick, but you would not hold out 
against him. That young man is like a son to you. 

Daniel Kimball: He is. It is the truth, Hannah. We have 
no children, not one. But if he is a Democrat, I will — I must know 
the truth of this. 

The famous bell on the meeting house begins to ring. 

Daniel Kimball: There's the bell, Hannah! There's the bell! 
Meriden is the only town around that has a bell on its meeting house. 
Hannah Kimball: Yes. 

Elias Frost comes down leading two horses, one saddled and 
bridled. 

Daniel Kimball: Doctor, you know any other town around 
that has a bell? 



30 The Pageant of Meriden 

Elias I'^ROST : No, sir, I do not. Hold my horse a minute, Mr. 
Kimball, and I will hitch yours to the post for you. You know what 
they call the bell in other towns? 

Daniel Kimball: No, what? 

Elias Frost: Meriden's Idol. 

Daniel Kimball: That's because they wish they had one. 

Daniel Kimball takes Elias Frost's horse and Elias Frost leads 
Daniel Kimball's horse out at the road and returns. He takes his 
own horse and begins to put saddle on him. 

Daniel Kimball: Elias Frost, what arc your politics? You 
have been silent on this topic. 

Elias Frost: I am favorable to the administration of Jeffer- 
son and Aladison. 

Daniel Kimball: You believe in this war? 

Elias Frost : I think we all ought to support the Government. 

Daniel Kimball: You. are wrong, sir: you are wrong. Why 
do you not go to the polls and vote? You have the right. 

Elias Frost: I know it, but I am a new comer and my vote if 
given against you would be equal to yours. 

Daniel Kimball: Hannah, it is true. He is a — 

Elias Frost: (Mounting his horse) Well, Mr. Kimball, may 
all go well in the Council, and as you like. 

Daniel Kimball: It shall, doctor, it shall. 

Dr. Elias Frost rides off in the direction of Grantham. 

Daniel Kimb.vll: If he ever votes the Democratic ticket, he 
shall not remain with us. If he is like a son to me, — like a son he 
ought to be a Federalist. 

Hannah Kimball: Well, Daniel — I hear horse's hoofs on the 
road. 

Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Adams rides in on horseback from the direc- 
tion of Hanover. 

Daniel Kimball: Dr. Adams! 

Ebenezer Adams: Good day to you, Mr. Kimball, — I hope you 
are well this fine day, Mrs. Kimball. 

Hannah Kimball: I thank you, very well. 

Ebenezer Adams : I have fine news, that will cheer your heart, 
Mr. Kimball. 

Daniel Kimball: No, no. 

Hannah Kimball: Come, Daniel — 

Ebenezer Adams : The Council will be a large one, and repre- 
sentative of all New England. 

Daniel Kimball: Who is coming? 

Ebenezer Adams : President Dwight of Yale College, three 



The Pageant of Meriden 31 

professors from Andover, — Porter, Woods and Stuart and many 
others. Prof. Moore and Prof. Shurtleff have gone down the river 
road from Dartmouth. 

Hannah Kimball: A blessing of the Lord! That means your 
plans — 

Daniel Kimball: Do you knozv President Dvvight is coming? 

Ebenezer Adams : I have a letter from him, saying he would 
start by the next stage after the letter. He advises a change in the 
plan. You may not like his change. 

Daniel Kimball: What is it? 

Ebeneze:r Adams: He says he shall urge in his sermon that an 
academy be established instead of a theological seminary. He ar- 
gues the need for a liberally educated ministry and deprecates the 
establishment of schools with a partial and limited course of studies, 
even for the purpose of meeting the need for ministers. 

Daniel Kimball: He is right. The man is right. 

Ebenezer Adams : You had your heart set on a theological sem- 
inary. 

Daniel Kimball: The ministers must be grounded well in 
their education. They must be started right when they are young. 

Ebenezer Adams : You will support President Dwight's pro- 
posal? 

Daniel Kimball: I will. 'My father used to tell me that the 
Word of the Lord and sound learning went together. 

Ebenezer Adams: You still want the institution here in Meri- 
den? The students will be younger. 

Daniel Kimball: I do. The young people! The bonnie 
bairns my father would have called them. We will have them here, 
will we not, Hannah? (Mrs. Kimball nods earnest assent.) 

Ebenezer Adams: There are other places want the institution, 
— Woodstock and Orford, and others. 

Daniel Kimball: I have the money. I will give $6000 now, at 
once, and all my estate when my wife and I pass on. Do you consent, 
Hannah, for your part? 

Hannah Kimball: I am with you in it. 

Ebenezer Adams : And if our trouble up at Dartmouth does 
not come out happily, we can move down here, as well. 

Daniel Kimball: This Academy shall help Dartmouth when 
she needs and I trust Dartmouth College will help the Academy, on 
occasion. 

Ebenezer Adams: It will be a great academy. It will have all 
the churches behind it. It will be a union academy. 

Daniel Kimball: Let that be its name. 

Hannah Kimball: And it should have your name in it, too, 
Daniel. 

Daniel Koiball: Union — all the churches; and likewise, the 
union of the Word of the Lord with sound learning. That shall go 



32 The Pageant of Meriden 

on the seal. What is the Latin of it, Hannah? You were a teacher 
once. 

Hannah Kimball: ReHgione et scientiae. 

Daniel Kimball: Alright. And on the seal the dove and the 
serpent ! Wise as serpents and kind as the doves. My father used 
to say, the dove for Christianity and the serpent for canny wisdom 
made the true Scotch religion. I will get my horse. 

Daniel Kimball goes out to get his horse. 

Ebenezer Adams: Mr. Kimball is so confident of having the 
institution here, I hope he will not have cause for disappointment. 
We from Dartmouth will favor Meriden. 

Hannah Kimball: He will succeed. A thing must be decided 
before it's done. He has decided. 

Daniel Kimball comes in leading his horse. Dr. Adams starts 
to ride off. 

Ebenezer Adams: Good day, Mrs. Kimball. 
Hannah Kimball: Good day. Dr. Adams. 

Daniel Kimball comes down close to his wife. 

Daniel Kimball: The young people! And sound learning! 
They shall be our children, and have our lands and our home forever. 
Hannah Kimball: Aye, Daniel. 

Daniel Kimball mounts his horse and starts to follow Prof. 
Adams. He turns in his saddle to his wife. 

Daniel Kimball: When I come back, Hannah, I shall bring 
the Academy with me ! 

Hannah Kimball waves to him as they ride out toward the Wind- 
sor road and goes back into the house. 



EPISODE 4: THE COMING OF THE GIRLS 

(AUGUST 20. 1840) 

Several boys of the Academy run out with a large football of that 
time and begin kicking it from one to another. 

Tom : Here goes ! The English against the Classical Depart- 
ment ! 

All : Hurrah ! Hurrah ! 

A boy passes through with an open book from which he studies 
off and on. 

Several : Come on, Will ! Join in the game a bit ! 

Will : No, I thank you. I want to study. 

Tom : Come on ! Don't be a poke. You need exercise and its 
jolly good fun. 

Will: No, I feel I have not been attending to my studies as 
I ought and it is my duty to avoid the temptations of the playground. 

Dick : Rooms in the Academy are to be occupied by pious stu- 
dents only. He wants to get in. That's why. 

Will: I assure you that is not the case. I feel — - 

Tom : Come on, let's play. 

Ned : He'll be arguing in favor of the girls next. 

(All groan aloud.) 

Dick: I'm not coming back next term if they have a lot of girls 
here. 

Ned: Nor I. I'm not going to any girl's school. 

Fred (near Meriden vista) : Sh ! Here comes Mr. Richards. 

Tom (near orchestra stand) : And Mrs. Kimball, too. 

Ned : I wonder if they heard. 

Mr. Richards comes in by the road from the field. The boys all 
stand respectfully and take off their caps to the principal. He re- 
turns the greeting cordially. 

Mr. Richard.s : Young gentlemen — I am glad to see you enjoy- 
ing yourselves at a healthful game of football. The young ladies 
from away arrive on the Lebanon stage today. I trust you will give 
them a kind and respectful welcome. 

Several : Yes, sir. Yes, Mr. Richards. 

Mrs. Kimball and Dr. Frost come in from the top of the hill. 

Mr. Richards: Good afternoon. Mrs. Kimball. I am glad you 
are able to enjoy the occasion of this auspicious day. 



34 The Pageant of Meriden 

Mr. Richards takes off his hat with a courtly bow. All the boys 
take off their caps and stand respectfully as Mrs. Kimball approaches. 

Mrs. Kimball: Oh, yes, Mr. Richards, I am perfectly well, 
entirely able to enjoy the day. I thank you. I had no intention of 
being otherwise. I have been looking forward to this day for some 
years. Yes — (She looks around at the boys) I have been across to 
look at the new Academy building for the Female Department. 

Mr. Richards: Does it please you? 

Mrs. Kimball: It seems to me to afford very adequate and 
proper facilities for convening and boarding the young ladies. Yes, 
I hope with the divine assistance and direction it will fully answer the 
great purposes to which my husband and myself have devoted our 
estate. 

Mr. Richards (Turning with an inclusive smile toward all the 
boys) : I am positive that the mutual influences of the two depart- 
ments will be good. I foresee an air of cheerfulness and interest 
thrown over our little community of students quite unusual before 
and elsewhere. 

Several: Yes, Mr. Richards. 

Others stand silent and uneasy. Mr. Ki'mball looks keenly 
from boy to boy. 

Mrs. Kimball: I think, Mr. Richards, the young gentlemen be- 
lieve they will not like having the girls here. They will find them- 
selves mistaken. Yes. 

Several boys look guilty. Others start to protest but remain 
silent. 

Mrs. Kimball: Now, I will go in. Will one of you young gen- 
tlemen inform me when you see the stage-coach coming? (To Tom) 
You, siir. 

Tom : Yes, Mrs. Kimball, I shall be glad to. 

Mr. Richards : Certainly he will. 

Mrs. Kimball: I wish to be on hand when the stage arrives 
with the first of the girls. They are my children, in a very special 
sense, — do you understand ? — as you all are. 

Tom : Yes, Mrs. Kimball. 

Mrs. Kimball: I think you do not understand at all. How- 
ever, — it is not to be expected. 

Mrs. Kimball and Mr. Richards go into the house. 

Dick : Come on, kick the ball. Quick, let's have a little more 
fun before the girls come. 

The boys resume their game playing with special vim and hilar- 
ity until the horn of the stage-coach is heard down the Lebanon road. 



The Pageant of Meriden 35 

Several (with groans) : There it comes. 

Tom brushes his clothes off and walks over to Mrs. Kimball's 
house. 

Tom : I hear the stage coming, Mrs. Kimball. 

Mrs. Kimball comes out, in a state of suppressed and very digni- 
fied excitement, followed by Mr. Richards and Dr. Frost. From 
other directions come Miss Martha M. Green and Miss Lucy Bald- 
win and several other teachers of the Academy. These all group 
themselves excitedly near the top of the hill where they can see down 
the vista. The boys pick up their ball and stand together in groups 
rather quiet and not at all enthusiastic. Will returns with his book 
and eagerly looks for the coming of the stage. Up the Lebanon 
road comes the stage driven at a fast pace. Inside and out it is loaded 
with girls and with their baggage. As it drives in and stops the 
older people wave their handkerchiefs and hats and the girls descend ; 
the baggage is unloaded from the stage. Several of the girls are very 
pretty. The boys notice the fact with a quiet but pleased surprise. 
As one of the girls starts to get down from the top of the stage, 
Dick steps forward to help her. Mr. Richards, however, hands him 
a large carpet bag, and himself helps the young lady down. As an- 
other of the girls descends Will, who has been waving to her, runs 
forward, helps her down, seizes her in his arms and kisses her. 

Will : My dear sister, how glad I am to welcome you ! 
Sarah : My precious brother, how glad I am to be here ! 
Several of the Boys : Hm ! 

Mrs. Kimball with Mr. Richards, Miss Green, and Dr. Frost form 
a little group near her garden gate. As these girls descend from the 
stage, they straighten themselves out to go up to be presented by Miss 
Green and Miss Baldwin to Mrs. Kimball, who receives them all with 
much graciousness, but also with a rather stiff repression of her real 
feelings. The boys are standing mostly together in a group by them- 
selves on the other side of the grounds, eyeing Will enviously who 
has the entre to Paradise by virtue of his unfair relationship to one 
of the girls. The stage drives off. 

With one of the girls comes her mother. In turn they go up to be 
presented to Mrs. Kimball. 

Mrs. Heaton : This is my daughter, Martha Heaton. I wished 



36 The Pageant of Meriden 

to come with her to see what the labor performed by the young ladies 
themselves in the Boarding House will consist of. 

Mrs. Kimrall: The manual labor system has been decided upon, 
— and all else with regard for propriety, economy and the public taste. 

Mr. Richards : Miss Green, who is the principal instructress of 
the Female Department, will tell you all the details. 

As the reception proceeds, Miss Green draws the mother and 
daughter a little to one side. 

Miss Green: What is the girl's name? 

Mrs. Heaton : Martha S. Heaton. 

Miss Green: And she lives where? 

Mrs. Heaton : Post Mills, Vermont. 

Miss Green: Yes, what can I tell you? 

Mrs. Heaton : How much work will the girls do in the care 
of the building? 

Miss Green : The Boarding House will accommodate some 40 
or 50 young ladies. H practicable the labor attending the care of the 
house will be performed by the young ladies themselves. By this ar- 
rangement it is expected that the whole expense, exclusive of wood 
and lights will not exceed $1.25 per week. 

Mrs. Heaton : I understand. 

Miss Green: You made application 4 weeks in advance? 

Mrs. Heaton : Yes. 

Miss Green : Then Martha can have a room in the Boarding 
House. (To Martha) You have brought with you a tablespoon and a 
teaspoon, towels for your own use, and bedding for your bed? 

Martha: Yes, Miss Green. 

Miss Green: And suitable shoes for stormy weather? 

Martha : Yes, Miss Green. 

Miss Green: Then you are properly equipped for the work of 
the Academy. 

Mr. Richards: Now, young ladies — you may betake yourselves 
under the superintendence of Miss Green and Miss Baldwin to your 
rooms in the Boarding House, or in the various houses in the village 
to which you have been assigned. Young gentlemen, you may carry 
their baggage for them. (Cheers from the boys, heartily given; they 
jump forward to pick up the valises and bundles.) But after the 
young ladies have preceded you, I wish to announce a regulation. 
Students of the two departments, that means the young gentlemen 
and the young ladies — will not be allowed to meet and converse on 
the street or elsewhere, except in the presence of a teacher or with 
special permission for proper reasons from me or Miss Green. (Mani- 
fest disappointment among the boys.) The two departments will 
meet together at least once a day for morning or evening devotion. 
(He turns for a moment to consult with Mrs. Kimball who nods ap- 
proval and then to Miss Green who bows assent.) 



The Pageant of Meriden 37 

Dick : Will, I feel that I, too, have not been leading a sufficiently 
pious life. 

Ned : Nor I. 

Dick: Will you help us? 

Will : I shall be glad to, in so far as I can. I hoped you would 
come around to feel as I do about duty to our studies. 

Mr. Richards: Now, young ladies, you may go. (Miss Green 
and Miss Baldwin precede the girls in quaint and stately procession 
out at the Meriden vista.) 

Mr. Richards : Yes, Mrs. Kimball, I am more and more confi- 
dent that the coming of the girls will be the beginning of a new suc- 
cess for the Academy. They will all be greatly indebted to you. 

Mrs. Kimball: Yes, — yes. But, — they are my children. (She 
looks at Dr. Frost, who bows understandingly.) 

Mr. Richards: The atmosphere of cheerfulness seems already 
to be spreading over our little community. Now, young gentlemen. 

The boys rush forward with an enthusiastic cheer, pick up all 
the valises and baggage and run out with it in the same direction as 
the girls. Mrs. Kimball watches them a moment; then turns with 
a smile to Mr. Richards and Dr. Frost and goes back into the house. 



EPISODE 5: GOING TO THE CIVIL WAR 

On fife and drum is heard "The Girl I Left Behind Me" at the 
top of the hill to the north of the audience. From the Meriden vista 
come several people of various ages, including young girls and boys, 
all going up the hill in the direction of the fifes and drums. The 
young fellows are in uniform. The music continues. Robbie, a boy 
of about twelve years runs out from the right of the pageant-grounds 
as from a house and calls back : 

Robbie : They are going up ! Come on ! Come on, George ! 
They are all going up ! 

George (Inside) : We are coming. 

From the same place comes George, in uniform, a young fellow of 
about nineteen, his father and mother, and his sister, Mary, carrying a 
new flag. 

Mary : Grandmother'll be here in a minute. 

George : My ! That's a fine flag you girls made ! 

Robbie : Did you help make, it, Mary ? 

Mary : Yes, of course I did. All the girls in the Academy 
helped make it. Every one did something on it. 

Robbie: Let me carry it up, will you? 

Mary : No, I will not. 

Robbie: Father, can't I carry it up the hill? I'll be careful of it. 

Father: No, Robbie, you cannot. Be quiet. Mary and the girls 
have made this flag for the boys of the Academy to carry to the front, 
and of course Alary wants to carry it up herself. She has charge 
of it until it is presented to the company. 

Robbie : Who is going to carry it in the company ? 

George: I am. 

Robbie : You are ? What, in battle ? Are you going to carry it 
in the charges? 

George: Yes, unless they hit me. 

His mother grasps his arm. He turns to her. She puts her 
arms around his neck and he puts his arms around her. 

George : But I am not going to be. Mother. I shall be alright. 

Mother: I hope so, dear. 

Robbie: Won't it be fun? I wish I could go! I'm going as 
soon as I'm old enough to be a drummer boy. I can beat the long 
roll now, as good as — 

Mary : Be quiet, Rob1)ie. It's bad enough for George to have 
to go, much less — 



The Pageant of Meriden 39 

George: Mother, Mother, you zvant me to go, don't you? 

Mother : Yes, George, — you must go. 

Father : Here is Grandma. Now we will go up to the cam- 
pus. — My boy, one last word from your father. It is hard for your 
mother to say good-bye to you. Think of her always, and do your 
duty for your country. Never flinch. And that will be a comfort to 
your mother — whatever happens. God bless you ! 

The father takes George in his arms and kisses him ; then grasps 
him by the hand. George turns to his mother and kisses her. Then 
his grandmother, who kisses him and pats him on the shoulder. The 
drum beats the first call for assembly at the top of the hill. 

George : Come on, Mother ; there's the first call. 

Robbie starts ahead. The Mother shakes her head. 

Mother : I will wave to you from the window as you pass. 
George : Oh, please come ! All the Academy is going. 

The grandmother gently takes him by the arm, motions to him 
not to urge his mother. The mother takes him in her arms and kisses 
him over and over again, and smiles. 

Mother: Good-bye, dear. 
George : Good-bye, Mother. 

The grandmother leads George up the hill. He runs back for 
one more kiss; and they all go up the hill except the mother, first 
Robbie ahead, then George with his grandmother, and his father and 
Mary carrying the flag. The mother stands where she was and 
smiles and waves her hand to him as he turns and waves to her. They 
pass out of sight at the top of the hill. There is silence as the mother 
stands there alone. The drum beats the assembly. There are brief 
commands heard. 

Then the music strikes up in march tempo "The Battle Hymn 
of the Republic". The mother buries her face in her hands. 

America comes out of the trees behind her. Her robes are torn 
and somewhat blood-stained. She stands behind the mother, her 
arms stretched out in sympathy to her. The mother turns and sees 
her and stretches out her arms for consolation, but she sinks, kneel- 
ing at America's feet. The music continues, more and more softly as 
if receding. America raises the mother and leads her back into her 
home among the trees. The music plays on : — 

"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord !" 



EPISODE 6: THE HEIGHT OF THE ACADEMY 

(JUNE 27, 1867) 

Enter from various directions many students of both sexes, pre- 
paratory for the Graduating Exercises of the Class of 1867. The 
boys and girls, however, remain apart in groups. 

Henry : There's about ten minutes yet. Let's play that new 
game again. Where's the ball ? 

Joseph : I can get it. (Joseph runs out and returns with the 
large foot-ball.) 

Frederick: No — we don't want that. Where's the base ball — 
the little hard one? 

Joseph : Oh, I don't know. James Fisher has it, likely. It's 
his. 

Enter James Fisher with a baseball and a bat. 

Henry: Here he is. Come on, Fisher, let's play the base and 
ball. 

James: It's not the base and ball. It's base-ball. Get a crowd. 

Several: We don't know the game. We don't know liozv to 
play it. 

Fisher : Come on. We'll teach you. 

Arthur (A Senior dressed for his graduation taking the bat) : 
What a small stick. I've played cricket, but how could you hit any- 
thing with that? 

Fisher: Oh, yoii can learn pretty quick. 

Henry: Yes, I can do it. 

Several: So can I, so can I. 

Henry : Let me take it and show you. (He takes the bat and the 
ball, tosses the ball up and after a couple of attempts hits it a short 
distance. Several applaud.) See! It's a great game! Come on, let's 
play right here. 

The boys quickly take positions, and James Fisher pitches the 
ball quite easily past Henry, for evident purpose of letting him strike 
it if he can. The girls watch with keen and admiring interest. 

WiLKESON : Come on, fellows, — when Dr. Richards comes let 
us sing the Class Ode for him, just a verse as a compliment to the 
little gentleman in black. 

Several: Good! Fine! Alright! 

WiLKESON : Come on over here, girls, so we can all sing to- 
gether. Stop playing, fellows. Get together here. The Doctor will 
be along in a minute. 



The Pageant of Meriden 41 

All gather nearer together, leaving a broad space through which 
Dr. Richards comes in up the hill. They all cheer, and then immedi- 
ately begin singing. 

CLASS ODE* 

Thrice the flowers have bloomed and faded 

Since we first as classmates met ; 
Happy scenes before us crowding, 

Memory whispers, "Ne'er forget." 

Tarry, O ye golden moments, 

Breaking not the holy spell ; 
Let us linger on the threshold. 

E'er we breathe the sad farewell. 

Dr. Richards stands among them at first bowing, and then smil- 
ing as he listens to their song. 

Dr. Richards: Young ladies and gentlemen, the compliment 
you have paid me in singing your Class Song for me touches me 
inexpressibly. (Cheers) It is indeed a sad moment that comes 
around to me every year, when I have to say farewell to another of 
my classes. But it is also a proud moment, and under the blessing 
of God, a moment full of confidence and of hope for you. I am 
sure that you will all of you give Kimball Union reason to rejoice 
and be grateful to Divine Providence for your career. (Cheers) 
The country is rapidly renewing its prosperity now that peace has 
been restored after this terrible war. The nation is developing and 
extending as never before. America looks to her educated men and 
women for leadership. Let her not be disappointed of us. There 
is no training for life equal to the mental discipline of the great clas- 
sics of Greece and Rome, except the Word of God. Caesar and Sal- 
lust, Virgil and Homer, Cicero and Demosthenes are the great 
models for noble citizenship. (Cheers) I have noticed over and 
over again at times when the Divine Spirit has poured out His re- 
freshing grace the remarkable feature that a very large majority of 
those who were hopefully the subjects of Grace belonged to the Clas- 
sical Department. So close is the sound learning of classic literature 
to the word of God ! 

Do not forget your Academy ! From this high point of her ca- 
reer I appeal to you going out with your fresh young vigor into life. 
Kimball Union has never had so successful a year in all her history. 
((Theers) Never have there been so many students on this hill as 
this year. (Cheers) There have been 220 students here this year. 
(Cheers) But her fortunes in the infinite wisdom of God may not 



*The stanzas here used are taken from the Class Ode of 1870, written by Miss 
Etta E. Boothe; the music is by Miss Mary Hoyt, of the Class of 1915, 



42 The Pageant of Meriden 

always be so high. Meriden is off the hnc of the railroad. New 
schools are beginning to spring up in the towns around us, public day- 
schools. These naturally draw the young people of their own towns. 
The national development of the cities and of the great west are draw- 
ing heavily upon the farm districts of New England for fresh blood. 
But Kimball Union has and always will have a mission which none 
others can fulfill. If days of trial come upon her, stand by her! 
(Cheers and answers of "We will! We will!") 
I first came to Meriden as a student in 1828; I received appoint- 
ment as principal of Kimball Union Academy on the day of my grad- 
uation from Dartmouth College in 1835. I have so far given thirty- 
two years of my life to this institution. It cannot be that I am to 
remain very much longer. I offered my resignation to the Trustees 
at their meeting yesterday, but they very generously urged me to 
withdraw it. (Cheers) I have done so. (Cheers) Soon, however, 
there will come a graduating class with which I, too, will pass on. We 
must all leave the scenes of our best toil and finest joy. But, young 
ladies and gentlemen, let us never forget them! (Cheers) God bless 
you ! Come let us go into the Chapel where the Trustees await us 
and where you will receive your diplomas. (Cheers). 

They go on in procession, taking up again the singing of the Class 
Ode: 

Now we clasp our hands in parting, 
And the tears will rise unseen 
As we turn away, our footsteps 
Echoing many years between. 

All this toiling is but sowing; 

When the reaping shall be o'er, 
May we find in heaven's own garner, 

Golden sheaves we bound before. 



INTERLUDE II. CLARENCE AND REUBEN 

Uncle Sam, Clarence, his city son, and Reuben, his country son, 
come in from different directions at the same time. They greet each 
other. Both Clarence and Reuben look prosperous. Uncle Sam in- 
quires after their families, and they turn to the two vistas and beckon. 
Clarence's wife and two children come in from one side, and Reuben's 
wife and ten children from the other side. Clarence's children have 
golf clubs and tennis rackets, while Reuben's children have hoes and 
rakes, milk pails and baskets. The children run in and dance around 
Uncle Sam, who romps with the younger children, picking them up 
and tossing them into the air, until he is tired. 

Reuben takes a pint milk can from one of the girls and offers 
it to Uncle Sam. Clarence immediately shows great solicitude for 
him, takes the milk from Reuben, pours out some in the cup for 
Uncle Sam, and then giving some to his boy and girl, finally taking 
a good drink himself. When he returns the can, Reuben's wife pours 
out some for their children, but to their dismay there is only a little 
left. But Clarence is very profuse in his thanks and Uncle Sam 
heartily claps both of them on the back. The same thing happens 
with a loaf of bread ; only an end is left for Reuben's family. 

Clarence then offers Uncle Sam a cigar, which he accepts and 
smokes with considerable enjoyment. Clarence then also offers Reu- 
ben a cigar, evidently his last one. Reuben, however, declines the 
cigar and takes out a corncob pipe which he smokes, while Clarence 
with undisguised relief lights the cigar. 

Clarence now realizes he needs some money. He has some in 
his pocket, but not enough. He asks Uncle Sam to lend him some 
but Uncle Sam is shrewdly hesitant and changes the subject. Clar- 
ence then goes over to Reuben and asks him to lend him some money. 
When Reuben takes out his purse, Clarence takes it. Reuben pro- 
tests, but Clarence keeps it, coolly assuming that Reuben is express- 
ing regret that he has not more. Clarence assures him that this will 
do very well. Uncle Sam appreciates the real state of facts and 
thinks it is a great joke on Reuben. 

Clarence next begins to take notice of Reuben's children, prais- 
ing them and telling them they ought to come with them to the city 
and become like their cousins. The young people are quite pleased 



44 The Pageant of Meriden 

with the idea. One by one they give their tools or baskets to their 
father or mother and go over to play with their city cousins, sprucing 
up a little as they go across. Finally, only two of the little ones are 
left and the parents have their arms piled up with the things their 
children have left with them. They call to the young people to come 
back and take their tools again, but they only wave happily in reply. 

At last, Reuben, despoiled of all, protests and demands 
of Clarence some return. But Uncle Sam and Clarence sim- 
ply jolly him along, pat him on the back, and start to go off with 
him. The rake and hoe handles get askew. He cannot get them 
together to carry. Clarence helps load him up, but does not oft'er 
to carry any of them for him. However, all start off together, the 
young people cheering and dancing ahead. Uncle Sam and Clarence 
praising Reuben. Clarence's wife very graciously chatting with her 
burdened sister-in-law, Reuben half flattered, half shaking his head, 
seeing the imposition of which he is the victim. 

As they come to the passageway to go out, Clarence with good- 
natured raillery pushes Reuben ahead. But Reuben stops, straight- 
ens up and with a motion of dignity and respect stands back for 
Uncle Sam to go first. Clarence then starts to go ahead himself, but 
Reuben stops him and holds him back. Uncle Sam appreciates this 
courtesy, and calls a halt. He takes from Reuben and from his wife 
some of the tools and other things and divides them among the others, 
making Clarence take something and himself taking something. 
Then again taking a son by the arm on each side, he starts out 
once more, the three going out together and the two families in merry 
friendliness following after. 



EPISODE 7: THE EBB OF THE TIDE 

(MAY, 1889) 

From the entrance between the grandstand and the orchestra 
come Mr. William H. Cummings, Principal, and Miss Myrah Ever- 
est. 

Mr. Cummings: The Trustees have considered very carefully 
the plan you have suggested, Miss Everest, — the $100 plan — and they 
believe it will prove very practical in drawing students to the Acad- 
emy. 

Miss Everest : I am very glad. I am sure it will enable many 
poor young people to get an education, that otherwise could not 
dream of such advantages. 

Mr. Cummings: Something must be done. Twenty- four stu- 
dents in the Academy this term ! Only twenty-four ! And not so 
long ago, in '68, there were 220, ten times as many. 

Miss Everest : 220 ? And now 24 ! 

Mr. Cummings: Yes, I have been looking up the figures. Un- 
less this plan helps decidedly, the Trustees may have to close the 
school. There is no other course for them to pursue. 

Miss Everest : The two epidemics of typhoid in 70 and 72 
started the decline in numbers, I suppose. 

Mr. Cummings: Yes, may be — And the new high schools in the 
towns around us have kept many of the students at home. 

Miss Everest : And so many of the farmers have been going 
west, leaving New Hampshire altogether. As I came up to Meriden 
from New York I saw so many abandoned farm-houses, and what 
was worse, farms run down, the houses and barns dilapidated ; roofs 
that needed shingling ; fields unplanted ; lean cattle grazing among 
weeds and underbrush. 

Mr. Cummings: New Hampshire farming is in a bad state. 
The east cannot compete with the west. 

Miss Everest: Somehow it could, — it ought to — 

Along the woodland road comes a wagon, drawn by a pretty lean 
horse. It is driven by a farmer, spare and rugged, of keen eye but 
^disspirited manner. On the seat with him sits his wife. In behind 
with a bundle of clothes and a few books is a boy of about 16. The 
harness is tied together with cord, and the wagon sadly needs paint 
and repair. The man drives in and stops. He looks at Mr. Cum- 
mings and Miss Everest for a moment before addressing them. 

The Father: You can't tell me where I should go to see about 
the Academy, can you ? 



46 The Pageant of Meriden 

Mr. Cummings: I am the Principal. What can I do for you? 

Father: Well, — we wanted to have the boy come to school here, 
if we could arrange it. 

Mr. Cummings: This is the boy? 

Father : Yes. 

Mother: We heard there was some money given when the 
school was started, so that people what — didn't have much — could get 
their children a good education. 

Mr. Cummings: Yes, there are beneficiaries. Is the boy think- 
ing of going into the ministry ? 

Mother: No, I don't know as he has been thinking anything of 
it, have you Jim? 

Jim : No, I ain't thought nothing about it. 

Mr. Cummings: What do you look forward to doing when yoi; 
are a man ? 

Father: Well, we just hoped he could make a living; not that 
we thought he would amount to anything special, but make a respect- 
able living,— get along. 

Mother : All the same, if Jim had the chance, he could do "iccll. 
He's smart. He's just as smart as any of them. 

Father: I don't say that he isn't. What does it cost to come 
here? 

Mr. Cummings: Altogether it comes up to about $175 for the 
three terms. 

Father: Guess we might as well get right back home, Sarah. 
Come on, Jim. Get in. It ain't no use taking the gentleman's time. 

They get back in their seats and the father turns the horse around. 

Miss Evere.st : It is too bad. He might come in on the $100 
plan, mightn't he? 

Mr. Cummings: If the Trustees adopt it. And I think they 
will. But I am not authoriized as yet to accept students upon it. 

Miss Everest: Is there nothing we can do? 

Mr. Cummings: They are keenly disappointed. (Calling) Wait! 

The man stops his horse and looks around. 

Father: What is it, sir? 

Mr. Cummings: I am thinking if there is not some way we 
could take your boy. 

Mother: Do you think there is, sir? 

Father: We ain't got as much money as you said. 

Mr. Cummings: What schooling has he had? 

Mother: He has been through the district school, sir. 

Mr. Cummings: Do you want to go on with your education, 
young man? 

Jim : Yes, — sir. 

Mother : He's been brought up to want to go on with it. We 



The Pageant of Meriden 47 

want he should have better advantages than we had. We want he 
should do better than we have. 

Mr. Cummings: You are true parents. — 

Father: I've had a hard time. The soil's worn out. The farm 
buildings need repair. Prices of what we have to buy have gone up, 
and there's no chance to sell farm produce. Now the farm's mort- 
gaged. I'm too old to leave, but I want Jim should go away and make 
his start in the city or out west or somewhere. 

Miss Everest : The cities are crowded. It is hard for a young 
man to get a start there. 

Mother: But in the country it is impossible. Jim likes farm- 
ing, but we want him to make his way as a lawyer or a doctor, or 
something like that. I want to think of him before I die as prosper- 
ous, and seeing the world, bringing up his family without dreading 
the interest every three months, — enjoying life, — 

Mr. Cummings: It would take a good many years for him to 
get to be a doctor or a lawyer. He would have to go through ll" 
Academy, three years, and then college four years, and then after 
that the professional school. 

Father: That is a long time. We would not have much money 
to let him have. 

A^t other: Let him begin. If the hard time had not come and 
set us back, our savings would have been near enough. 

Jim : If I get a start, I think I could work my way entirely. I'd 
like to try anyway. 

Miss Everest : Good for you ! 

Mother : That's the boy, Jim. You'll go ahead ; I know you 
will. 

Mr. Cummings: Now let me tell you what I can do. The Acad- 
emy has under consideration a plan, that Miss Everest here suggested, 
to offer tuition and home to boys who need assistance and are worthy 
of it, for a single payment of $100, and one hour daily spent in the 
cheerful performance of work about the Academy. The Trustees 
have not yet decided on this. They may decide it is impracticable. 
But if they should, I could take Jim on that plan. 

Mother: God bless you, sir. We have saved and saved — 

Mr. Cummings: Have you $100 for the first year? 

Father: Yes, sir. 

Mother: Get out the bag of money, Henry. 

The Father takes out of his pocket a canvas bag of coin. 

Father: There it is. We saved up while the boy was a little 
fellow and always changed the money into coin, so the money for his 
education might not depreciate for being paper. 

Mother: Look out, Henry — There's a hole in it. 

Father: So there is. (He looks a bit worried and looks around.) 



48 The Pageant of Meriden 

We've got a little over $100 here. $105 and some — I'll count it out 
to you now. 

Mr. Cummings: No, I will not take the money now. I do not 
know that I can take the boy yet. Though I hope I can. 

ather. ( Yes yes, you must take it now. 
Mother: ) ^ j ^ j 

The father counts out the money. Some is in gold. He looks 
worried and dismayed. 

Father : There is only $95 here. $95 and 78 cents. 

Mother: The hole in the bag! 

Father: (feeling in his pocket) And there's a hole in my pock- 
et too — A $10 gold piece is lost. 

Jim: It may be in the wagon. (He looks). (The father and 
mother also look.) Here it is! 

Miss Everest: Ah! Good! 

They all smile with happiness. 

Father: $105.78. Here— take it. 

Mr. Cummings: No, you keep it until we know for sure that 
the $100 plan will be open. Meantime — How far have you come? 

Father: From Hamstead. 

Mr. Cummings: Meantime Jim can stay with me if you like, 
until the question is settled. He can do some work for me about the 
place and it will not cost you a cent. Would you like it, Jim? 

Jim : Indeed I should. 

Mr. Cummings: Drive the horse down there, Jim, hitch him to 
a post. Then come back and I'll show your father and mother over 
the Academy where you are to be. Hurry ! 

Jim drives the horse and wagon off. 

Mr. Cummings: I like the looks of your boy. I believe he has 
fine stuff in him. 

Mother: We done our best to bring him up right. 

Mr. Cummings: His home has been a good school for him. 

Mother: And this school will be a good home for him I believe, 
sir. 

Mr. Cummings: Here he is. Now come this way. I want you 
to see the outlook from the Academy. 

They go out, the Mother and Miss Everest walking together, the 
Father, Mr. Cummings and the boy following. 



EPISODE 8: BACK TO THE SOIL 

(AUGUST 30, 1899) 

A wagon comes in from the direction of Meriden with a sheet 
iron stove, baskets of provisions and utensils for a picnic dinner. 
Charles Curtis is driving it. Edward Westgate walks along by the 
side of the horses. 'Mrs. Westgate comes out from the grove with 
Mrs. Curtis to meet them. 

Edward Westgate: Where will you have the stove, Mary? 

Mrs. Westgate : Right back in here somewhere, out of the 
way. 

Mrs. Curtis: Isn't this a glorious day we have for the Old 
Home Celebration? (Or, according to the weather) It will be a 
pretty good day for the Old Home Celebration, after all; I guess it 
won't rain. 

The men take the stove out of the wagon and set it up just in 
the edge of the woods. They also take out the other things, and Mr. 
Curtis drives the wagon out. 

Mrs. Westgate : Now we'll have plenty for everybody ! 
Mrs. Curtiss : Next we want a good hot fire quick to make the 
coffee. 

Several young people come in from the field road. 

Mrs. Westgate : Just in time ! Come help us with the dinner 
here. 

Charles Curtis: (Returning) Well, got a big crowd, haven't 
you? 

Mrs. Westgate: Who would ever have thought we'd have so 
many people ! Mercy me ! We were ready to take care of several 
hundred, but there are twice as many as we expected. Mary Wat- 
son's grove is most too small to hold them. 

Mr. Alvah B'. Chellis comes in from the grove. 

Mrs. Westgate: Mr. Chellis, how many people are there here, 
do you think? 

Mr. Chellis: Why, there must be something like 600 people 
here. 

Mr. Curtis: Six hundred people! Who'd ever have thought 
there'd be so many ! 

Mr. Chellis: Going to have plenty for all, Mrs. Westgate? 

Mrs. Westgate: Yes. Abundance. For 600, and more if they 



50 The Pageant of IMeriden 

like to come. We thought for a while there'd not be near enough, 
but we just got out and borrowed another stove and all. 

Mrs. Curtis: Here, Sarah, that coffee's good and hot. Pour it 
in pitchers and take it right in. Get' people started eating. 

Mrs. Westgate: And here, Eliza, take in these pies. 

Mr. Chellis: Just like mother used to make, are they? 

Mrs. Westgate : Liker than that : mother made them ! They 
are the same. (Laugh.) 

Mr. Chellis: Too bad Ora Davis could not be here. 

Mrs. Westgate : Yes, it is. He's pretty sick, I hear. Sorry ! 

Mrs. Curtis: He would have enjoyed this so, and he worked so 
hard on it. 

Mrs. Westgate: But you carried the meeting through splendid- 
ly this morning. 

Rev. Lewis A. Austin comes in with the others. 

Mr. Chellis: Well, Mr. Austin, how do you do? It's certainly 
good to see you here again. 

Mr. Austin: How do you do, Mr. Chellis? It's good to be 
back here again, I assure you. How do you do, Mrs. Westgate? 

Mrs. Westgate : Glad to see you again, Mr. Austin ! Have a 
cup of coffee right off the stove? 

Mr. Austin : Yes, thank you, I will. Did I hear that Mr. 
Woodbury and his wife were here? 

Mr. Chellis: Yes, they are over there in the grove. I was 
talking to them just a few minutes ago. 

Mr. Austin : Well, well, I must see them ! 

Mrs. Curtis: Here they come now. Mrs. Woodbury, you re- 
member Mr. Austin, don't you? 

Rev. Frank P. Woodbury and Mrs. Woodbury come in along the 
wood road. 

Mrs. Woodbury: Indeed I do! (Cordial greetings exchanged 
all around). 

Mr. Chellis: After the headquarters missionary the field mis- 
sionary! A man known equally well in Labrador and in Meriden! 

Rev. Charles C. Carpenter comes in from over the hill. 

Mr. Carpenter: This is a fine home-coming! I never dreamed 
there would be so many old friends here. Where is Allen Hazen 
now? 

Mr. Woodbury : Dr. Hazen after his sixteen years in India went 
back for four years more. He died only a short time ago in Wash- 
ington. 

Mr. Carpenter: He is joining in the Great Home Coming. 

Mr, Austin : He was a rare soul. 



The Pageant of Meriden 51 

Mr. Woodbury : Yes. The missionaries that Meriden has sent 
out over the world ! 

Mr. Austin : Twenty-nine of them. And the Academy has sent 
out nine college president in her eighty odd years. 

Mr. Chellis : Then Kimball Union grows a new college presi- 
dent every nine or ten years. 

Mr. Woodbury: The Academy has done noble service toward 
Christianizing the globe. 

Mr. Chellis: And toward Christianizing us who stay at home, 
too. (Laugh) 

Mr. Carpenter: Which is fully as important. (Laugh) Is 
Dr. Richards here, — Charlie Richards? 

Mr. Chellis : No, he could not come this year. He sent a letter 
and hopes to come another year. 

Mrs. Curtis (Holding up a beautifully frosted and decorated 
cake) : What do you think of that? 

Several : Well, well, well ! What is that ? 

Mrs. Curtis: That is the cake for the oldest person present at 
the Old Home Week. 

Mr. Carpenter : Let me see, — how old am I ? 

Mr. Woodbury: No, no, Mr. Carpenter, you are not old enough 
— not yet. I am older than you. 

Mr. Carpenter: But you are not old enough to take the cake. 
(Laugh) 

Mr. Woodbury: Such changes as there have been, — the Acad- 
emy and the Congregational Church both burned. 

]\iR. Carpenter : And the old Temperance Hotel, too. Isn't that 
new church a beautiful structure! 

Mr. Chellis : Dr. Richards preached the sermon at the dedica- 
tion last May. 

Mrs. Westgate: Any more coffee needed in there? All had 
plenty? (speaking into the grove). 

Mr. Chellis : Now, friends, we are all going to join in a Vir- 
ginia Reel, and no one who is under twenty-five will be allowed to 
dance. This is only for people who have good memories and can re- 
member back to the good old days. (To the young people of about 
twenty) You little children are not eligible for this. 

A group of people come out and dance the Virginia Reel, while 
the others look on. During the dance, the stove, baskets, and dishes 
are removed. 

Mr. Chellis: Now I have a very pleasant duty to perform. 
(Receiving the cake from Mrs. Curtis) I have been requested to pre- 
sent to the oldest child of Plainfield present today as a reward for the 
good habits of longevity, loyalty to the old home, and promptness in 
appearing at this gathering today — this delicious, (I am sure) and 
beautiful cake. I have the honor of awarding this testimonial of 



52 The Pageant of Meriden 

Plainfield's affection and congratulation to Mr. John Hall Calif, who 
is ninety-four years old. Mr. Calif, will you come forward and — 
take the cake ! 

Amid cheers and applause Mr. Calif goes forward and receives 
the cake. He bows to all over and over again. 

Mr. Chellis: Now, my friends, if you will all come back to the 
Town Hall, we will resume our exercises there. We shall have the 
pleasure of hearing, besides other gifted speakers, some entertaining 
remarks from our good friend, Mr. C. C. B'eaman of New York — and 
New Hampshire. 

The people make way, and then preceded by Mr. Alvah B. Chellis 
and Mr. John Hall Calif, bearing his cake, march out in the direction 
of Meriden. Two only remain, near the top of the grounds, — the 
Rev. Lewis A. Austin, at one time a teacher and a principal of Kim- 
ball Union Academy and a younger friend, who also has returned 
for Old Home Week. 



INTERLUDE III: THE BIRDS 

The elderly teacher and his younger friend, who remain over 
from the previous episode stand together near the top of the hill 
looking over toward the Academy. 

Teacher : Old Home Day has its melancholy side. I had hoped 
for great things for Meriden. I had hoped that it should be not 
merely a centre of education in the smaller sense, but in the larger 
sense also, — of art and culture. 

Friend : Yes, I know you did. And you yourself did much to 
make it just that to a great many of us, I assure you. 

Teacher: Ah, my! It was a dream; a precious dream to me. 
With the fortunes of the Academy so low that it actually seemed 
wiser to close its doors, there is now no hope of that. 

Friend : Who can tell ! Your dream will yet come true, believe 
me. 

Teacher: How can it come true? — Unless Art springs from the 
ground, — and Music pours forth from the trees. I like this spot. I 
often used to come here to read, when I was a student in the Acad- 
emy, and also when I was a teacher here. I think I will stay here 
a while now. 

Friend : Well, — I will leave you. 

They grasp each others hands. The Friend passes on out over 
the hill. The Teacher sits down on the grass where he is, takes a 
small book out of his pocket and reads. But in a moment his book 
drops from his hand. He sleeps. 

The music of the orchestra quietly steals in with dream chords, 
which continue throughout the interlude, underlying the other orches- 
tration. From the woods near the orchestra comes Music, youthful, 
in violet and blue, pipes slung over the shoulder and a wreath of 
green leaves in her hair. Music is expectant, is listening intently, 
eagerly. From the woods is heard the note of the Wood Pewee, 
drowsy and melancholy. Music smiles. A Song Sparrow flits across 
the grounds toward Music. Music shrinks back a little into the 
branches of the pines so as not to frighten it. The Song Sparrow 
turns in the edge of the trees and sings its joyous every-day roadside 
song. Other birds, also, flit out into the open, — the White-Throated 
Sparrow, the Wood Pewee, the Field Sparrow, the Robin, and occa- 
sionally the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, the Goldfinch, the Oriole, and 
the Scarlet Tanager. It is a little bird-song symphonic fantasia. The 



54 The Pageant of Meriden 

songs quiet down. Almost there is silence, except for the plaintive 
note of the little Wood Pewee. Music leans forward, listening more 
intently than ever before, in almost an anguish of expectancy. After 
a brief silence, in which only the dream chords hold the breathless 
quiet, out of the woods comes the jubilant life-song of the Hermit 
Thrush ! Music listens spell-bound. Again the song of the Hermit 
Thrush is heard, and then all the other birds join in the joyous even- 
ing song, flitting in and out of the woods and in among the trees again, 
as the bird-songs continue, a Hermit Thrush concerto. 

The evening song of the birds comes to a close. One by one the 
birds withdraw into the woods to nest. Last the little Song Sparrow 
crosses back again, stops at the edge of the woods, turns around and 
sings its song once more. There is silence, save for the dream chords. 
Once more the Hermit Thrush is heard alone from the depths of the 
woods. And then the note of the Wood Pewee, once more, for the 
last time. The dream chords also cease. 

The Teacher awakes. He picks up his book and looks around. 
His Friend comes back from the way he had gone. 

Friend: Still here? 

Teacher: Yes, I fell asleep. I have just awaked. I fell asleep, 
and I dreamed that the birds were singing all around me ! 

Friend : Going over to the village ? 

Teacher: Yes; we will go together. It seemed that my dream 
would come true. 

The Teacher takes his friend's arm and together they go off 
across the top of the hill in the direction of Meriden. 



EPISODE 9: THE NEW ACADEMY 

The Academy bell rings over on the Meriden hill. From the top 
of the hill on either side come a number of students, both boys and 
girls. Some are dressed for athletics; some for farm work; some 
for class work. Some of the boys have base-ball, bat and mitts ; one 
has a discus; one has a scythe; one a hoe. A group of girls have a 
basket-ball, which they are passing one to another; one has a basket 
of fresh vegetables; another has a basket of eggs. Some, both boys 
and girls, have books with them. Jolly, healthful merriment is the 
prevailing spirit. Those who are engaged in work stop to watch the 
others play, or put down their tools for a moment to join in it. 

Sam : Ho. Dick, I bet you cannot throw the discus to that rock 
over there. 

Dick: What? (He throws the discus and makes the distance 
easily). 

Pete : Let me try that ! 

Dick: Alright. (Giving him the discus). 

Pete pitches the discus and it rolls off. 

Dick : Here, what do you think you are doing, — pitching horse- 
shoes in the barn-yard ! Now you can chase it. 

A girl comes through carrying a pail of milk. 

Sarah (Pretending to throw the basketball to her) : Here you 
go, Margaret ! 

Margaret : Don't ! 

Sarah : Come on and play ! 

Margaret : I can't. The ball would surely go into the milk. 

She goes on through, the girl with the eggs joining her and going 
with her. The Latin teacher comes in with a few students. Some of 
those already there join the class in the shade of the trees, laying aside 
for the time, scythe or base-ball. 

Latin Teacher: Ready, Virgil class. How much have we pre- 
pared for today? 

Several: Three pages. Two pages and a half. 

Latin Teacher: Any one who did not get at least two pages? 
(Several shake their heads). Any special questions? 

William : Rome used to have a rural problem same as America, 
didn't it? 

Latin Teacher: Yes. Been looking up your Roman History? 



56 The Pageant of Meriden 

William : No ; Frank and I were reading a bit in the Bucolics, 
and found where one farmer said to another — Tityrus, I think his 
name was — 

Though many a victim went out from my folds 
And rich cheese was pressed and sent to the city, 
My purse never came home to me heavy with money. 
Frank: Sounds to me a good deal like New Hampshire and 
Vermont. 

Latin Teacher : The way it used to be. 

Fr^\nk : Well, I guess things got better there ,too. A little later 
the other fellow says, — 

Fortunate old man, here beside frequented streams 
And sacred springs (That means protected springs doesn't 
it?) you shall enjoy the cool of the shade. 
William : That's what we are doing ! 
Latin Teacher: Now let us begin. You may recite, Elizabeth. 

From the top of the hill on the Meriden side come the Prin- 
cipal and a Visitor whom he is showing over the Academy. 

Principal: This is all part of the new farm, — over to that fence, 
down to the road, and down to the athletic field, with the farm build- 
ings I have showed you over there in the village. The Francis C. Hall 
Memorial Farm it is called now. 

Visitor: And you are going to use this farm to help students 
who want to work out part of their expenses, I understand, and also 
to raise some of the food for the Academy. 

Principal: Yes, partly that is the purpose, but only incidentally. 
The culture that the soil gives the man through the culture that the 
man gives the soil. That is what we are after. 

Visitor : What is that ? The culture that the soil gives the man 
through the culture that the man gives the soil. Hm ! That is a much 
bigger thing. But can you add this agricultural work to the college 
preparatory work? I should think that would interfere. 

Principal: Bear in mind that only a small number of the boys 
and girls in the high schools and academies go to college. Here in 
the country districts it is the academies that bear the burden of educa- 
tion not the colleges. Our first duty is to these young people who go 
from us to live on the farms and in the small towns. 

Visitor: Yes, they must be taken care of, of course. 

Principal: More than half of the population of the United 
States are farmers by the way, you know. 

Visitor: Are they, indeed? 

Principal: Yes. 

Visitor : Well, well ! — But you do prepare for college, don't 
you? 

Principal : Oh, yes. 



The Pageant of Meriden 57 

Visitor: Those who go to college do not need this — farm work 
really, of course. 

Principal: On the contrary, the country boy or girl who goes 
to college needs it the more, for they will get nothing of this country 
life education in college to bring back for their lives here. 

Visitor: But, my dear sir, you seem to criticize the colleges. 
You must acknowledge the value of the classical education to modern 
civilization ! 

Principal: So far as that goes, there is a class in Latin down 
there. You will find in any one of those boys and girls more real 
appreciation of Virgil than in the average college freshman, — or sen- 
ior. They get it from their farm work. Virgil was a farmer. 

Visitor: So he was. 

Latin Teacher (Rising) : For the next time, three pages as 
usual, — or more if you like. 

The class go out, most of them with the Latin Teacher, down 
through the field toward Meriden. Dr. Huse and Mr. Baynes come 
in up the hill. They are carrying a weathercock food house, which 
they proceed to put up. 

Mr. Baynes : We are going to put up a weathercock here in the 
edge of the small pines, Mr. Tracy. 

Principal : That's good. Come up here. Mr. Hart, I want you 
to know Dr. Huse and Mr. Baynes. Dr. Huse is our physician, and 
Mr. Baynes is the man who started the Meriden Bird Club. 

Visitor : Oh, yes ; I have seen about it in the papers. 

Mr. Baynes : Dr. Huse is the President of the Bird Club. 

Visitor: It is readily noticeable the number of beautiful birds 
in the village and their continual singing. 

Dr. Huse : You would hardly believe how many more birds there 
are around here now since the Bird Club was started two years ago, 
and how tame the birds are getting to be. 

Visitor : But why do you wish especially to attract them up here 
at a distance from the village street? 

Mr. Baynes: Two reasons — we want to enlarge our bird area, 
and we want to protect the crops and trees on the new farm from 
worms and insects. 

Principal: It is a practical matter. 

Mr. Baynes: We are going to set up a martin pole too here 
on the hill a little ways back. The boys are bringing it up. 

Dr. Huse: The attracting of birds has a vital relation to the 
protection of crops and trees from the insect pests, and through the 
trees to the conservation of the water supply. 

Principal: Our little club here will undoubtedly play its part 
in developing a serious appreciation of the birds for their economic 
value as well as for their beauty and their incidental interest. 



58 The Pageant of Meriden 

Mr. Baynes: Over there on the other side of that hill — right 
across from here — we have a Bird Sanctuary. 

Dr. Huse: It is being put into ideal condition for attracting 
birds and for studying their habits. 

Visitor: That is interesting. 

Mr. Baynes: Here come the boys with the martin pole. This 
way, boys. Right up here. 

A half dozen students come up from the village with a martin 
pole. They carry it right on up and out at the top of the hill. Mr. 
Baynes and Dr. Huse go out with them. A boy comes running up 
the hill, out of breath. 

Harold : We won ! We won ! 

Students come running in from all directions. 

Visitor: What is this? 

Principal: Base-ball. The annual game with Colby Academy. 

Harold: K. U. beat! 13 to 1 ! 

Students give the Academy yell. 

Principal: We are pretty proud of our Debating Team, too. 
The students get quite as excited or depressed over debating as base- 
ball. I do not know but what sometimes more. 

Visitor : 'What ! 

Principal: Some of our best debaters are on the ball nine. 

The students give the yell of the score "13 to 1". They swarm 
up to the Principal. 

Principal: I congratulate you heartily on having beaten Colby 
again and the more heartily that you have won fairly as usual, in a 
straight, alert, and courteous game! I was just telling this gentleman, 
who is visiting the Academy, that Kimball Union students can debate 
as well as play base-ball. He was surprised. (Laugh). 

Dick : Come on, fellows, a K straight for the visitor ! 

The students give an Academy yell with "Visitor !" on the end. 

Principal : He will be interested to learn that Kimball Union 
won the State Championship in debating last year and was second this 
year. 

Pete : And we are going to get it again next year ! 

Principal: You will want to give the team a good reception 
when they get back tonight. (Cheers). 

Several: Can we have a bon-fire, Mr. Tracy? 

Principal: When you are ready to plan your celebration, let 
two or three of you come to see me at the office, and — we will talk it 
over. (Laugh). 

Dick : Now, fellows, K straight, three Tracys on the end ! 



The Pageant of Meriden 59 

The students give the yell and go off in horse procession, and 
then break up, some going out and some remaining. The Master of 
the Meriden Grange, the Instructor in Animal Industry at the Acad- 
emy, and some students, both boys and girls, come in with two heifers. 
They proceed to make a comparative study of the two. When this is 
finished, one of the students stops the others, who are about to lead 
the heifers away. 

Sam : Come on, fellows, before they go, let's do the Ox-dans for 
the heifers ! Very appropriate ! Pair off ! 

Amid laughter and merriment, eight of the boys pair off and per- 
form the Swedish Ox-dans for the benefit of the surprised animals. 

Frank: Now, the Tarentella ! 

Sam : Alright. Come, on, girls, come on ! All ready for the 
Tarentella ! 

A larger group of boys and girls dance the Tarentella. After 
this, they all run merrily out with the two heifers. 

Visitor : This is a revelation ! They play and they work as if it 
were all the same. 

Principal : That is what we are trying for. That ought to be 
the natural way with healthy, growing young people, oughtn't it? 

Master of the Grange (Joining them) : The Grange is ready 
to go ahead with the Boys' Agricultural Conference, Mr. Tracy. Will 
the students be able to join in on it two weeks from Monday? 

Principal: Yes, I think so. 

Visitor : What boys are these ? 

Master of the Grange: The boys of the surrounding towns. 
Once in a while we get them all together here. The teachers and the 
students join us and show the boys over the farm. They get some 
good ideas; and it interests them. 

Principal: And the Grange in this way also enables the Acad- 
emy to do something for the boys and girls who cannot come here as 
regular students. 

Visitor: The whole community works together here, doesn't it? 

Master of the Grange: Yes, it is all one big family, — sort of. 

Principal: The Academy, the Grange, the Home, — everything. 
And the Church gives tone and purpose to it all. I appreciate the 
necessity for the public schools to be strictly impartial in their relig- 
ious attitude, but I am glad that we are free from that necessity and 
have a definitely understood position as a Christian Academy. 

Visitor: This all seems like real education to me. 

Principal: The whole life of this town is education, and it is 
— or we are trying to make it — one big family. Education is a com- 
munity, playing its part as a parent to its young people. How can we 



60 The Pageant of MerideN 

have any real education if the parents do not come into it? The par- 
ent is a teacher, and the teacher is a minor parent. Education is a 
thing of the whole community. 

Visitor: Think of the old folks a hundred years ago, or even 
fifty years ago, what they would have thought of all this ! 

The Church bell rings across the valley in Meriden, and continues 
ringing. 

Principal: Listen! There is the Church bell! In the old days, 
a himdred years ago, the bell on the Aleriden Meeting House was the 
only bell for many, many miles around. It was rung on the Sabbath 
and twice during the week. There was always a committee of three 
appointed to procure the bell to be rung, and they always spelled the 
word in their records with a capital B. Grown people and children 
used to come out and stand at their doors to hear the beautiful tones 
of the bell summoning the people of the town together to adjust their 
common affairs or to worship God. 

I like to think that not only we, but all the generations gather at 
the sound of that bell in love for that village on its hill, and enthu- 
siasm for the opportunity of its academy. When I am tired I like to 
come to this place and consider that this work is not the work of one 
time, but under God, of all time. Here in the shade of these green 
pines I like to think I see the vision of Education as a living person, 
at the sound of that bell gathering together all the generations of Mer- 
iden, from that first pioneer mother and father and their boy to trese 
students of mine. — Hush ! See ! 

He draws the other two back from sight as the music of the 
Finale begins. 



FINALE: EDUCATION IN THE NEW COUNTRY LIFE 

The Meriden bell still ringing, the music very softly again pro- 
nounces the first motif of the pageant. Education comes forth 
through the pine branches at the foot of the hill. He stands a mo- 
ment, his arms outspread, his staff uplifted, listening to the ringing 
of the bell. He waves his staff in gesture of command. From the 
pines all around him emerge the Nature Spirits, and stand in the 
edge of the trees gently swaying like the swaying of pine branches in 
a summer breeze. Very softly as though far away the Chorus sings 
again "The Song of the Vision", while Education gathers some field 
stones and makes a rude altar. 

This finished. Education stands to one side and lifts his hand for 
silence. The song ceases. The Spirits are almost still. Through the 
small pines directly behind the altar comes the Pioneer Mother with 
her fifteen year old son. She steps forward to the altar and makes 
a fire upon it; and then stands behind it watching it, her arm on the 
shoulder of her boy. 

Up from the field comes a young woman representing the Village 
of Meriden. She is clothed in soft grain and harvest colors. There 
also comes out from the wood-road a young woman representing the 
Academy. She is clothed in orange and black and bears on her arm 
the shield of the Academy. She advances toward the mother and son 
with a gesture of sincere devotion. The mother smiles. The son 
first looks at his mother, then at her of the Academy, and smiles. She 
kneels and offers herself to their service, then rises, places her shield 
against the stone altar and brings some wood, which the son takes and 
puts on the fire. The other also pays her homage and brings wood 
for the altar fire. 

Then from the pines near the orchestra comes Music with her 
eager, listening manner. She steps forth from the trees. She listens. 
Then she takes the pipes and plays a little rustic tune. She listens 
again. From the woods comes the song of the birds, the jubilant song 
of the Hermit Thrush rising triumphant above the other notes. Music 



62 The Pageant of Meriden 

goes down nearer the altar and stands, her hand upraised while the 
birds appear with the Nature Spirits in the edge of the pine trees. 

From the wood-road now comes the Mother of the Civil War 
episode. She approaches the altar and adds wood to the fire, then 
takes her place to one side of the Pioneer Mother. In like manner 
from the field road comes the Mother of the Ebb of the Tide episode. 
She also adds fuel to the fire and takes her place on the other side 
of the Pioneer Mother. 

Education then raises both his arms as a general signal beckoning 
to the generations of the past to gather at their community and aca- 
demic hearth. The people of the pageant appear at either side of the 
top of the hill. Among those in front is George in his Civil War uni- 
form. He goes quickly down to his mother. She throws her arms 
around him and kisses him. So, too, Jim of the Ebb of the Tide. 
They take their places, both of them, by their mothers. Then a small 
boy is seen running down the hill across the grounds. It is Robbie, 
and he has his drum now. He throws himself into his mother's arms 
and then stands beside her. So she has her two boys one on either 
hand. 

Then singing all the generations of the Pageant march in. As 
they come they form a large circle around the altar, the three mothers, 
and the symbolic figures, except for an opening near the top of the 
hill. As they come in, the members of the three families take their 
places near the mothers. As the people of the Pageant come in, they 
sing :— 

THE SONG OF THE GENERATIONS 

Come from all the ages ! Swell the joyous throng! 

Start the echoes ringing with the burden of your song! 

Greet the dawning future with paeons of the strong ! 

Hail the dauntless settler, mighty to endure! 
Hail the sacrifices war and death found pure ! 
Hail the struggle upward of the toiler and the poor ! 

Long as hills reecho to hopeful heart and hand, 

Long as grain shall ripen or towering mountain stand, 

Shall the song of joy arise o'er all the toiling land! 



The Pageant of Meridln 63 

Then from the top of the hill comes America, attended by New 
Hampshire. America is all in white. She bears the shield of the 
United States slung on her shoulder and the American flag in her 
hand. New Hampshire is in bluish gray. She also carries her shield. 
America comes forward a short ways into the circle, as all the people 
raise their arms and sing in acclaim: — 

THE SONG OF ACCLAIM TO AMERICA 

All hail ! Imperial Spirit, 

Whose love broods o'er the land, 
And watches o'er the peoples 

From ocean strand to strand ! 
In peace — inspiring Teacher ; 

Protector — in the gale ! 
America Triumphant ! 

All hail ! All hail ! All hail ! 

America, attended by New Hampshire goes down to the altar. 
The Pioneer Mother puts more wood upon the fire, which blazes up. 
America spreads out her arms and all the people kneel. She raises 
her arms with the flag to the sky, and all the Pageant join with her 
in singing the last stanza of 

AMERICA 
Our fathers' God, to Thee, 
Author of Liberty, 

To Thee we sing! 
Long may our land be bright 
With Freedom's holy light ! 
Protect us by Thy might, 

Great God, our King ! 

Singing, then the whole Pageant begins to march in review past 
America. Those on the field side march across below and out through 
the wood road. Those on the wood side march up the hill, across and 
down on the field side, following the others out through the woods. 
When all have passed, America and those with her close the procession 
and go out after the people of the Pageant by the wood-road. The 
Nature Spirits and the Birds disappear into the green pine trees. 



64 The Pageant of Meriden 

THE RECESSIONAL SONG OF MERIDEN 

Sing the song with care-free heart, — 

Sing the song with bitter soul, — 
By the one way, where roads part, 

Pressing onward to the goal ! 
Up the hill that Toil has crowned, 
Down the pathway Peace has found. 

Sing the joys and griefs of men ! 

Sing the Song of Meriden ! 

Sing the song from youth to age ! 

Old Age, still its joys intone! 
When in crowds our strength we gauge. 

When we fight our way alone, — 
By the cradle, by the grave, 
On the mountain, on the wave. 

Sing the joys and griefs of men ! 

Sinjr the Sons: of Meriden! 



JUN 27 iyi3 



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